Hado
by denebtenoh
Summary: A harem for Rukia, although finally Ichiruki. A little HitsuKarin as well. Destiny is made to be fulfilled, and the moment we take it in our hands is the moment we ll be sure to reach happiness.
1. Chapter 1

Author´s note:

This is my first fanfiction, the first _actual _fanfiction (the others are just one-shot), so please be gentle with it. And really hope you enjoy it! This is completely IchiRuki, although the idea is to actually make a harem, Rukia in the center. Hey guys! We do need that from time to time, ne? XDXD. Although this is a subtle HitsuKarin, because I adore that pair too!

**HADO**

A Bleach Fanficion.

Some people say destiny doesn´t exist. We write our lives in everyday´s walk. Some others say that we all have a destiny to fulfill. But that it is rewritten by our every move.

Happiness, on the other hand, is something that is reached the moment we take our destiny in our own hands.

PROLOGUE.

The sun was setting already, casting deep shadows upon them, shielding their faces, hiding their emotions. They knew they couldn´t let them show, they had to be strong for the other. Ironically, trying to be strong for the sake of one another only made them give many steps further away. Ironically, because the thing that they both needed the most was the other´s comfort. Especially now that the last of their friends was dead and they were the only two left.

She stood up from the grave and gave some steps behind, hesitant, almost forcing herself to move.

Still kneeling in front of the grave, he turned around, seeking her figure, and found her facing the sun, her back to him. He wanted to run to her, to hold her, knowing how deeply this last death had hurt her. Being the only woman, she had always taken care of them, even if in her special, odd way; as if she were their elder sister, as if their well being were her responsibility. And he had always taken care of _her._ Now, he didn´t know what to do. He wanted to protect her, to take care of her again, but what could he say? He couldn´t find words of comfort to himself, how could he find words for her? She, who thought of this little group as her own family. She, who had given her everything for them since the first day that she had helped them escape from a certain punishment, when she found them stealing the water from that old man. How could he ease that pain?

So he stood up, facing the sun as well, getting closer to her but staying some steps behind, trying to leave her space but wanting her to know she wasn´t alone. He was still there, as he had promised once.

A couple of minutes passed by in complete silence, broken only by the whispers of the wind.

"Renji?"

He jerked his head up, startled by the sound of his name. "Yeah?"

"Let´s become shinigami."

She hadn´t turned at all to look at him, and at that moment, he realized where her sight was resting: the Sereitei.

He sighed. That was a promise they held for years now, ever since they were kids, but never seeked it out because they didn´t want to leave their friends, their family, behind. Now that they had no one to protect, what was the point on postpone it? What was the point on staying in that forsaken place? Time had come for them to reach their destiny. Besides, he thought that, by searching, he would find a way to ease her pain.

"Yeah." He answered, in a calm voice.

If she wanted to become a shinigami, he would follow her. Heck, if she wanted to become a hollow, he would follow her. He would follow her wherever she wanted to go.

"Let´s become shinigami."

CHAPTER 1.

"So, Shiro-chan, I must go now." Said the raven haired girl, chirping, happy with the idea of coming back to the Academy she loved so much.

"Don´t come back again." Was the little boy´s angry reply. He was short, skinny, and very young. His hair was as white as the snow, as if it had lost its color years ago, and with beautiful, blue-skyed eyes that were digging holes into the girl´s back. "And stop calling me by that silly name."

She smiled back at his frown, already running. "Sure! See you next week, Shiro-chan!"

"I told you to never comeback!" he yelled, but couldn´t know if she had heard him. He then lowered his gaze, feeling suddenly silly. "Baka." He said.

"Did she leave already?" someone asked at his back. He didn´t turn around to know whose voice was that. Besides, she didn´t need to see the look on his eyes now.

"What do you want, Kurosaki?" he barked without turning, when he suddenly heard the wind around him being cut by something very fast, and was fairly missed by a rapidly moving object aimed at his head. He turned around this time to face the girl with blood boiling on his veins. Her hair was completely black and almost shoulder-length, matching her deep dark eyes. She was lanky, a little bit shorter than him, but she seemed to be his age. Her attire was completely of a boy´s, even when she was a girl. She must´ve been too brave to tempt his temper at the moment. Or too stupid. "What´s with you, Kurosaki?? What do you pretend? To kill me??"

"It would be well deserved for that stupid look on your face." Was the straight reply of the raven-haired girl. That stopped him on his tracks. "C´mon. You need to focus on something else. Let me show the present someone brought me from the real world." She ran past him and fetched the thing she had thrown at him, giving it to him. It was a very weird-looking sphere, white and black on it, completely dirty.

"What´s… this?"

"A soccer ball."

"A… what?."

She rolled her eyes. "This is for playing soccer, you dumb. It´s a game one of my dad´s shinigami learned from the real world when he went there. He brought this for me and taught me how to play. C´mon. I´ll show you." By that she took him by the hand. He withdrew it immediately, as if it burned.

"Why should I follow you?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes again. Certainly her friend was too dense, but today it seemed it was the worst day of all times. "Because" she looked at him straight in the eye, menacingly. She was aware it didn´t quite had the same effect on him than with the other boys she knew (and she liked that of him) but at least she was certain she would draw his attention. "you´re just _dying _to know how it´s played. And besides, you need that stuck-up head of yours away from that girl." She took his hand again. "C´mon, you baka. Or else we won´t find a suitable place to practice."

This time he obligued. It was true, he was intrigued by this new game. But his thoughts were still striving around a certain, older raven-haired girl.

---------------

Rukia was sitting on a tree´s branch, quite a few feet away from the ground, and almost hidden in between its bushes. She wasn´t hiding, but she didn´t want to be found at all. She had a lot of things running wild in her mind, and she had to sort them out before they drove her insane.

First of all, it was the Academy itself. It had been almost a year after she and Renji had entered the Shinigami Academy, and almost two months since she was adopted by the Kuchiki family. They had told her that it would take them a year to make her graduate, but she knew that it also meant she had to redouble her efforts. She looked at her hands and sighed. Small hands, not fitting for handling a sword. She had tried so much to master that art, but it seemed as if it just wasn´t made for her. The harder she tried, the more injured she got, but so far she hadn´t found any rewards from her efforts. It was during those days training that Rukia had found that she seemed to be good at kidou. Granted, not as good as the geniuses of her generation, but at least she found herself a little above the average. Still, she knew that a battle was usually decided at the point of a sword, so being below average on that particular issue made her feel a little bit insecure. And although Renji had always encouraged her and told her soothing words, she knew she wasn´t getting any better, even when she appreciated those words from him. Well, _when _he said those words to her, that is. Nowadays, she barely heard them coming from him.

Renji.

That was another matter to discuss.

They had been so close together when they were kids. Even when they had a family of five, they were the closest of them all, like a golden pair. Renji and Rukia had always been hand in hand, supporting each other, protecting the others together. They never did anything that didn´t involve the other, their bond stronger than anything that forsaken place had thrown at them.

He even had been her first kiss.

Rukia sadly smiled at that particular memory, a faint blush on her cheeks. But her smile faded quickly, remembering her present loneliness. Despite how close they had been in the past, he had been drifting away from her since the first weeks they´d arrived in the Academy, which clearly intensified after she had agreed on becoming a Kuchiki, and at first she had even felt it as if he was punishing her for leaving him alone. But then, she saw how much he was growing, how strong he was getting, and she tossed away that idea from her mind. She saw him with his friends, and saw how passionate he was with his training, improving every day. It made her feel proud of him, but as the days went by and his searching for her company became more sporadic, she started to feel lonely… and angry at him.

She tried as hard as she could not to be mad at him, not to let him know. He seemed happy, and she had no right on tainting that happiness. After all, they were like siblings, so she wished the best for him all the time. But… still, that didn´t stop the feeling of emptiness in her stomach, nor the aching sting on her heart.

With a dull ache on her chest, she remembered the last time they had been close to one another. There had been almost a month now that he had rushed to her, holding her, telling her about their field trip that had turned out into the killing of two senpais, and that got Hisagi Shuuhei, a senpai admired for almost everyone in the Sereitei, severely wounded. She had looked at Renji horrified as he retold this trip, the anguish they all felt and how he had ran to help the senpai, along with some of his friends, and just barely getting back alive thanks to the aid of one of the Taichous that had arrived there in perfect timing. Rukia had hugged him tightly, aware of how close she had been on losing him. After that day, and for several weeks, he had come looking for her more frequently, almost daily. But that had ended as well, he becoming too enthralled with his training to even notice they were getting apart again. And this time she felt even lonelier than before.

She hugged her legs at that idea, resting her chin in her knees and sighing deeply. She didn´t want to lose his friend again, but she knew there wasn´t anything she could do if he didn´t want her around. A little bit overwhelmed by the feeling of lost, she closed her eyes, least a tear ran down her cheek….

When a horrible shriek, like a cry from a wounded monster, pierced her ears almost painfully, opening her eyes wide in fear and making her body tremble. She had never heard such a cry before, it was as if some soul was tortured insanely… with a thousand times fold. She heard the cry again and her body openly shivered, prompting her to hug herself tighter and freezing her every move. She couldn´t imagine what kind of being could make such a horrid sound, but she was sure it wasn´t a normal soul. It didn´t even sound like an animal at all.

That´s when the idea hit her.

A hollow.

Renji had described to her the intense feeling of fear when they had heard the hollow´s cry, that it had made them feel empty inside, as if by screaming the hollow had stolen their souls, leaving the empty carcass of their bodies. She heard it again, closing her eyes in fear. Yes, this must be the way a hollow screamed for sure.

Noticing that the sound was somewhat far from her, she tried to will her body to move, but found it resisting to her orders, totally glued to the tree branch she was in. The fear so complete it had rooted her on place.

She heard the scream again, but this time she noticed it seemed different, as if divided, as if the tone were not the same. As if it was altered somehow. The next time she heard it, she could tell the difference: the hollow´s cry was mixed up with human screams. Children´s cries, to be exact.

She went numb, her blood dropping down her ankles, her heart accelerated. She gripped tightly the katana she had to use in the Academy, the asauchi, knowing that it was useless against the hollow. Although she had gone into her own field trip, and had actually been able to kill some fake hollows, because of Renji´s story she knew the sword wouldn´t be enough. And even less with her swordsmanship. She heard the cry again and this time her mind went blank. She didn´t mind if she couldn´t win, she had to try and give those kids time enough to run and hide, or to someone more powerful to come over and help them. She didn´t know what she was doing, she only knew that she wasn´t going to let those children die.

She jumped from the tree and started in a dash, with only a praying in her mind.

That she could get there in time.

------------------------------

The earth exploded beside them with the strength of the hollow´s blow, sending both of them few meters away from the floor. Toshirou held Karin in an attempt to shield her from the impact, but when they hit the ground, his head crashed against a rock, and he felt the warm liquid running down his temple, while the world started whirling all around him.

"Toshirou!!!"

He could hear Karin´s voice close to him, but he couldn´t place it. His eyes were open, but he couldn´t fathom what he was seeing. His senses were confused apparently by the strength of the impact, although he noticed they seemed to be focusing little by little, until the moment came when he finally was able to see her concerned face in front of him… and right behind her, the huge shadow of the hollow, menacingly standing in front of them. He saw it extending its massive arm towards them, and felt his own lips moving, trying to voice a warning, but no sound came from them. The concusion was weighing on him too deeply to do anything. Helpless, he saw the monster close its fingers around Karin´s body, and he could see her screaming at him, pleading for his help, but what could he do?

"Karin!!"

He was finally able to scream, and extended his arm towards her, reaching out for her, but he knew it was futile. He closed his eyes, and the boy that denied his youth, felt like a little baby, completely defenseless. He hated the feeling, loathed the sense of defeat and complete loss that surrounded him. He almost felt himself crying. 'Karin' he thought 'I´m sorry for not being strong enough for you…'

He then heard the piercing cry of the hollow, and opened his eyes immediately, only to feel Karin´s body fall on top of him

"Uuuuffff!!"

Her head crushed on his belly, taking out all the air from his lungs. He felt he couldn´t breathe.

"Thank you, Toushirou! I´m so happy I didn´t hit your head instead. Its so hard I could´ve been killed!"

A beaming Karin was sitting on top of him. He saw her sparkling eyes and suddenly, without a warning, her arms reached around him, hugging him. It felt uncomfortable but, he had to admit, nice at the same time. In spite of that, he pushed her away: he had never liked girls hugging him in any moment, he wasn´t a baby, for heaven´s sake! Either way, he kept her close, searching for her eyes and trying to understand, while he tried to recover some of his breath.

"What… ?"

"I don´t know, it just released me and…"

But she couldn´t finish the sentence, as they both heard another cry from the hollow. They turned to see it, when they saw what seemed to be another girl landing in front of them. Her red hakama told them that she was in the Academy, but how old was she? On what year? Certainly she must be on the high level years, Toshirou thought, to be confident enough to face a hollow that size. But she seemed so short… she couldn´t be too much older than they were.

"What the hell are you doing, standing there??" the girl yelled at them, "run for your lives!! I don´t know how much longer I will be able to keep it at bay!!"

Then Rukia saw both children opening their eyes wide in terror.

That moment cost Rukia a second of distraction, which the hollow used perfectly, sending her a few feet away from them and slamming her against a tree. With a nasty open wound on her left arm, and her head throbbing fantastically, she saw the hollow facing both children now, who were paralyzed on the ground. 'No!' stumbling, she started to rise up, when she saw another boy, taller than them, a teenager maybe, standing in front of them, his arms held wide on his sides, as if trying to shield the kids from the monster´s attack. She couldn´t hear what he was screaming, but she could see his flashing orange hair… as well as the hollow´s killing intent.

"Shit!" For a second time in a single day, Kuchiki Rukia lunged forward without thinking, with only one thing in her mind. To protect.

She felt a sudden rush of fire on her left shoulder that made her scream. And then everything went blank.

----------------------

Her dreams were plagued with images she couldn´t quite fathom. She saw herself and Renji, both very young, playing on the riverside, when suddenly she saw a flash of sparkling orange. She was on the academy now, playing with Renji and laughing, when she noticed he was walking away from her, still beaming. She tried to run to him, but her legs wouldn´t obey her. Rukia looked down and saw the asauchi resting in her hands, and looked up again, to find a fake hollow confronting her. She launched forward to attack, and suddenly the fake hollow was replaced by the huge one that had attacked those children she was so determined to protect. Then the flashing orange light shielded her view. Confused, she turned around, when she felt her shoulder like burning and a curtain of deep red enveloped her.

A white light covered her after that, and she saw that same orange spot in front of her, only this time it was more defined, not as ethereal anymore. She tried to reach out, but a painful sting ran on her left. Panicked, she jumped up, sending a punch forward to defend herself.

"Hey! Watch out!" She heard someone yell, and strong hands held her forearm, at the same time she felt herself being pushed down delicately by her shoulder.

"Calm down. You´re safe now" a male voice spoke soothingly at her. "You´re at my house."

She laid down, albeit a bit wary still, and her sight started to focus.

'Oh. So that´s where the orange flash came from'. The boy that stood in front of the kids was now leaning close to her, as if inspecting her. He didn´t seem that old, maybe even her age; she stared at him, surprised by his handsome features that in some way seemed familiar to her, when she noticed his amber eyes digging holes on her amethyst ones, as if trying to search her soul. Still confused, she looked away, feeling a bit warm up on her face.

"Where am I?"

"You´re at the Kurosaki manor. We brought you here after you got injured."

Injured? 'I see' she thought 'the hollow got me'. She remembered the way she had jumped in a futile attempt to protect them, to stop the hollow from sinking its fangs on them. It sank them in her flesh instead.

Moving her left shoulder, she could remember now, the intense pain, the blood that covered her all, and how her blade was the only thing that had prevented the monster from killing her off. She remembered the feeling of bone breaking apart, transmitted through her hands. It wasn´t a killing blow, the one she had inflicted, but at least it had prevented it from killing her. And maybe, just maybe, giving the others time to run away. While she mused at this, she started drifting away, enveloped in the dark. She really needed to rest.

"Oi!" the boy called, startling her. "What´s your name?"

"Kuchi… ki…." Her body felt numb, and she could no longer feel the cold that surrounded her "… Rukia…" the last word was almost like a whisper, but Ichigo could grasp it enough. He sighed. 'A Kuchiki…'

Ichigo sat there motionless, deep in thought, contemplating her as she closed her eyes, her pained expression softening with the relief of sleep. "Rukia" he sighed the name. His brow eased just a bit at that, happy that at least she wouldn´t hurt anymore. For now.

He had been impressed by her, by the determined look in her eyes the moment she came out of nowhere and stood in front of him, shielding them all with her blade and her own body. At first he scolded her for being so reckless, but then felt ashamed of himself. This petite girl had shown him the ultimate sacrifice, by giving her life for them all. Complete strangers to her. Wasn´t that the thing he wanted to do the most? Protect the people he loved, even at the cost of his life. But this girl, this student, had shown him that he was far from good. She had paid with her life the teaching he had thought he´d learned by now. He had, indeed, impressed him.

"Why do you think she did it, Ichi-nii?"

Karin´s words took him out of his reverie violently. She spoke as if she had been inside of his head. He had always stood in awe at how easily his little sister could read him. Well, _this_ little sister. Yuzu seemed to him like any normal girl so far.

He looked at her, with a blank expression in his face, but turned immediately back towards their savior´s figure. He didn´t have an answer anyways. And she seemed to understand, because she didn´t ask again.

Ichigo then turned to see the boy sitting in a corner, the same empty expression for the past hours. He wasn´t much concerned for Toshirou, that boy had a heart made of steel. But Ichigo wondered anyways. He was still a boy, after all.

"Yo. What´s with you?" he asked.

Toshirou didn´t aknowledge him at first, but after the third 'Yo' he looked at him for a split second, then resumed his contemplative stare, without a word.

Ichigo sighed. He would talk to him later. He wasn´t in a mood either. His mind was a whirlpool right now.

He remembered how bathed in Rukia´s blood he was when she took her limp body in his arms, after the hollow had released her. If it wasn´t for Sado´s help, his childhood friend, he wouldn´t have been able to save her. The direct impact towards the hollow´s thorax had helped him to open the monster´s mouth, although the hardest thing was to take out the girl´s katana, deeply embedded in the hollow´s palatine bone.

After delivering her body into Chad´s arms, he knew that their only way of surviving was to actually kill the monster. So he took the asauchi in his hands and charged against the hollow with all his might, only to find that the katana wasn´t enough. Fortunately for all of them, his father´s shinigami arrived to save them all.

That´s when he noticed Chad´s look. He was staring at the petite girl completely terrified. As if he were afraid of breaking her with just a breath. As if she were made of glass. But when he wanted to take her from his arms, trying to release him from that predicament, he found his friend wasn´t willing to give her back. Ichigo complied, allowing his friend to carry her all the way to his house. He would talk about it later, but he was still concerned for his friend. That look hadn´t abandoned Sado even after leaving her body on the bed.

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Here it is!! What do you think? Of course this time I intent on giving many chapters to you, but I still have to think over which ones will be Rukia´s guys. Ichigo is for sure, but then I thought Sado would be nice. I mean, their relationship is of respect, and are connected by the complete trust and loyalty they both feel for Ichigo, but why not something else? I was thinking on Hisagi of course (I wouldn´t miss him for the world!!) and even Kaien, although I don´t like him in particular. But what about Ishida? Or… umh… dunno, lot´s of things to mull over! XDXD thank you so much for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

HADO

A/N: Ok, second chapter for you guys!! I really like the comments I´ve had! I adore you!.

Ah! And before I forget, Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite, because if it belonged to me… it would be full of IchiRukiness!!! XDXDD

Enjoy!!

CHAPTER 2.

"_No son los hechos los que atormentan a los hombres, sino la opinión que se tiene de ellos."_

_-Epicteto._

Ichigo´s thoughts were interrupted once again by a well known presence and heavy steps. He turned around immediately to meet Sado´s eyes, and was surprised at what he saw.

Standing motionless at the foot of the bed, and without making any sound, Sado stared at Rukia´s resting body, watching the easy rise and fall of her chest. Ichigo could see now the deep concern in his eyes, the eyes of someone lost in his own thoughts, his own monsters. He knew his friend had never been someone of words, but this time his silence spoke fluently… and Ichigo felt lost in this speech, which made him feel even more uneasy.

"Chad? Are you all right?" He asked almost with fear of the answer.

Sado didn´t speak for almost a minute, until he looked at Ichigo and then stole a glance towards Karin, who was sitting on the bed, close to him, and who hadn´t moved her eyes from Rukia not even for a moment, and to Toshirou, whose expression hadn´t changed a bit in spite of Sado´s arrival. Ichigo understood, and soundlessly followed his friend outside the room.

Stepping into the gardens, Sado finally stopped, and Ichigo remained behind him, waiting for his friend to open up to him.

"What do you think of this… of her actions, Ichigo?"

Ichigo sighed. This was the second time someone asked for his opinion, and he still had no answer. But this was his best friend, the one who understood him the most. He _had to_ give him something. Sado´s soul was hurting for a reason he didn´t understand, and he couldn´t allow that to happen. But what could he say? Fortunately for him, he didn´t have to speak. His friend was willing to let go by himself.

"I´ve never had in my arms something so small, so delicate." He started with a low voice, his eyes focused in the empty space, his hands clenched into fists. "I can still feel her little body. She was so… weightless…" He spoke in little pauses. Ichigo understood. He had felt the weight of the girl, and it impressed him a little. But just a little, since he´d had Yuzu and Karin in his arms before, and even when they were younger. But not Chad. For him, for someone as tall and strong as him, of course Rukia´s weight must´ve felt like nothing. He kept silent, though. He wanted to respect his feelings.

"It felt like she would shatter in my arms if I wasn´t careful… I was afraid of hurting her." He looked intently at his huge hands, as if they were a sort of dangerous weapon. So Ichigo was right.

He was amused by his friend´s speech. Sado never spoke more than three or four words in the same sentence, but this time he was fluent. He must´ve felt very troubled by all those thoughts.

"But the thing that has me restless the most, the idea that´s creeping inside of my head and wouldn´t let me understand what happened today, is to know that something this delicate, this fragile, actually saved _you_, Ichigo, and saved Karin and Toshirou, from a certain death, while I stood there and couldn´t do a thing." Sado kept silent for a moment, and then raised his eyes towards the sky. "My abuelo taught me that I was born strong and tall to protect the people I care about. To protect the ones who couldn´t protect themselves. You already know that" Ichigo nodded. "And I lived with it, with the idea that I was born for this. I knew that my height, and my strong fist were made exactly for that reason and that reason only. I never doubted my abuelo, never questioned this reason, because with it, he gave a purpose to my life. But…" he stared again at his hands, as if Rukia was still in them. "The idea of so much power, so much will, inside of something so small and beautiful…" he turned to look at his friend in the eyes, with complete confusion in his own, which scared Ichigo a bit, "I really can´t understand it."

So that was it. Sado´s beliefs were shattered to the core by Rukia´s action. Just like his own.

Ichigo smiled a little, relieved that he could still understand his friend, then sighed and put a hand on Sado´s shoulder. "Welcome to the club." He said with a smirk.

----------------------

Toshirou and Karin stood motionless after the two boys had left. Karin didn´t want to leave Rukia´s side. She wanted to talk to her, especially to understand, but most of all, she wanted to thank this girl for saving the lives of the people she loved, and for saving her own as well. A moan from the bed startled both of them, but Rukia was still unconscious. Was she suffering some pain from her wounds? Or maybe from a nightmare? They couldn´t tell. Karin sighed, stealing a glance towards Toshirou. She was used to his silences, particularly long when that girl, Momo, left him after a visit. But this silence was creepy longer than she had known.

Karin was about to speak when they heard some loud talk outside, which called their attention.

"Yes, Ojiro-san." She heard her dad, Kurosaki Isshin, speaking rather loudly from behind the door. "The girl´s out of danger now. The fourth squad member was here a couple of hours ago and said her wounds were still severe, but that she´ll survive. He advised us only that she needed to rest."

"I see." Karin heard an unrecognizable male voice. "But Byakuya-sama´s orders are strict." Toshirou walked next to Karin, now interested and a little bit wary. "We have to take her back to the Kuchiki manor." Both children looked at each other with worry in their faces. They wanted to move her? No!

"But Toshirou!" Karin whispered. "She could die if they do that! The fourth squad member couldn´t stop the bleeding completely! The movement will open her wounds again!" He was about to agree when they heard Isshin´s playful, but firm voice.

"I understand Little Byakuya´s decision. He must be worried for her well being. After all, she´s his sister." Isshin saw the elder snickering in front of him, something very strange coming from a Kuchiki. 'I see' he thought. 'They don´t approve Byakuya´s decision on taking her.' His brow grew deeper. Poor girl must be having a hell party from those men. "But unfortunately Rukia-chan´s condition, although stable, is far from being safe enough to try and move her from one place to another. You can tell Little Byakuya that his sister (the man snickered again) will be well taken care of. I´ll personally see to that, and will send her home as soon as she´s ready to move."

"So very kind of you, Kurosaki-dono, but I came here for…"

Isshin raised a hand, stopping him in mid sentence. "And I appreciate so much that you came all the way here. But I owe her my children´s lives, so you need not to worry. Tell your master that I, the head of the Kurosaki clan, am so in debt with her, that I´ll protect with my own life her well being. And if he wants to come over and visit, I´ll be glad to make a party out of it." He finished the sentence rather happily, slapping the old man´s back.

"We´ll need Unohana-dono to check on her for…"

"And we will be grateful if she comes over and takes a look at her as well, of course! That way Rukia-chan will be able to go home sooner!" Another slap, and Ojiro coughed a little, this time looking at the noble man with daggers in his eyes.

"I see." Said the elder finally, accepting his defeat. For now. "Off we go then. I shall inform my master of this."

"And tell him I sent regards!"

The man bowed, and left immediately the house, muttering some curses in his way out. Isshin kept his wide smile while Ojiro was leaving, but replaced it for one of concern once the group was out of sight. He had to talk to Byakuya about this. The Kuchiki elders had a very rough way with things when they were determined on something. And Isshin was sure they were so on making this girl´s life a living hell. And he, the Lord of the Kurosaki manor, would never allow that to happen. He puffed his chest comically at that, when he heard a sound behind him. It was Karin, coming out of the room.

"What´s wrong, Karin?" he asked, looking intently at her troubled face. "You want papa to hug you?"

"Shut up, goat chin!" a vein throbbed on her temple, but then she sighed and the worry crept on her features again. "Dad… will they… will she be taken away from here?"

Isshin smiled tenderly at that. "Aw… you´re worried about your new friend?" Another throbbing vein. She hated the tone of his voice, as if he was talking to a little baby, but only clenched her fists, closed her eyes and nodded. She wasn´t in a mood for fighting this time. Isshin felt troubled himself, it seemed extremely weird that his girl wasn´t reacting at his words. She must be feeling really bad about it. So he dropped the façade and stepped close to her, placing a reassuring hand on her head. She didn´t know why, and she actually hated it, but a warm feeling enveloped her, and she almost, _almost_, wanted to hug this man. She heard footsteps behind her. Isshin noticed them as well, and looked up. "You too, ne?"

Against his will, Toshirou nodded, and then bowed. Surprised, Isshin raised an eyebrow. "What´s that for?"

"Arigatou, Kurosaki-dono."

"And what for, my boy?"

Toshirou inhaled deeply. It wasn´t easy for him to show any emotion. "For not letting those people take Rukia-san with them."

"Nah, you shouldn´t worry about it, nor thank me. It was my duty." But he noticed the boy wasn´t moving at all. "It seems there´s something else, right?"

The boy inhaled again. "Yes, Kurosaki-dono." He raised his eyes, meeting intently the man´s amber ones. "Train me… Teach me how to be a Shinigami. I want to be in the Academy this year. I want to be the best." His voice grew in strength as he spoke, emotion flowing through him, his eyes ablaze. But then he looked down and spoke with a low, respectful voice. "… Please."

Isshin´s eyes went wide. The resolve in the boy´s features startled him, but then a grin crept his face. "Of course, son. Whatever you want from me."

Karin was completely out of words, staring in awe at her best friend. This was the boy who denied his youth, who gave his back to everything that was around him. Everybody knew that he was a prodigy, but that he had sworn he would never become what other people wanted of him. He had sworn he would never be a shinigami. To make such a plea to her father meant only one thing. That he was determined on paying back his debt to Rukia.

Karin smiled, happy for her friend. She could see it now, his piercing cerulean eyes seemed to be alive again.

------------------

Rukia´s eyes fluttered open, illuminated by a bright light, as a hot sensation enveloped her body. She had heard some voices before, but it was the warm beam coming from the window the one that had pulled her from the realms of dreams. She moaned a little, feeling every inch of her body scream of agony, when unbearable pain stroke her from her left, stopping her movements. As her senses focused, she started to remember the hollow, the fight, and the incredible orange that stood beside her.

Slowly opening her eyes, she allowed them to get used to her blazing surroundings, and noticed movement around her.

"I told you, Yuzu." A male voice close to her spoke in a scolding tone. "You shouldn´t have opened the window. The sunlight is still too bright for her."

"I´m sorry Ichi-nii." A tiny shadow protected her view from the intense light. "I´m sorry too, Rukia-chan. Did I woke you up?"

Rukia forced her eyes completely open, and saw a little blonde girl, just before puberty, leaning towards her, concern written all over her face.

Rukia tried to smile. She didn´t know who the girl was, but she seemed to be one of the people who had taken care of her, so the least she could do was to try and be polite. After all, she was a Kuchiki. Didn´t her nii-sama make sure she had a very intense training about proper manners for the past couple of months?

"N-no. Don´t worry… umh…"

"My name is Yuzu, Kurosaki Yuzu!" beamed the girl.

Rukia gave her a little smile at that. "No, Yuzu-chan. You didn´t wake me up." Rukia grimaced at her every move, so she chose to just lay down a bit. "I was about to wake up anyways."

Yuzu sighed in relief and turned behind her. "See? Ichi—nii? I didn´t wake her."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and answered in a scolding way. "She´s telling you that because she doesn´t want to hurt your feelings."

Yuzu pouted and turned around to see intently on the other girl´s face, which made Rukia very uncomfortable, when suddenly she felt the child´s arms around her neck, and fought to repress with all her will a yelp of pain from her wounds, realizing that Yuzu was crying on her shoulder. Rukia was completely frozen. What in the world was happening? Was she that bad? Was she going to die?

"R-Rukia-chan." In between sobs, Yuzu tried to speak. "T-Thank you! Thank you so very much for saving my brother and sister´s lives! And for saving Toshirou as well!" Rukia´s look softened at this, and she placed a hand on Yuzu´s back in a soothing manner. "I-I don´t know what I would do if something happened to them!" the petit body trembled of emotion at the simple idea of her beloved siblings being hurt or even killed, so she held the older girl tighter. But every sob sent Rukia a wave of pain from her wounds, and as much as she wanted, she couldn´t hold back her constant flinching.

Ichigo was speechless for a moment with Yuzu´s display of emotions. He had been touched by Rukia´s actions, but he was only beginning to fathom the effect of it on the rest of his family. And friends.

He noticed the girl was aching, but that she tried to repress it as best as she could, and he was sure that she did it so as not to hurt his sister´s feelings. He was grateful to her. Again.

"Yuzu" he called softly. "You should be more careful, you´re hurting her."

"Oh!" Yuzu´s cheeks colored deep red. She immediately withdrew and bowed deeply. "I´m so sorry for hurting you, Rukia-chan! And for waking you up!"

"N-no, really!" Rukia said, a bit relieved that she had let her go. "I needed to get up anyways!" she tried to move but seemed rooted to the bed. Not only was the pain holding her down, she felt too weak as well. Without a word, Ichigo approached her and fixed her pillow, so that she could stand a little without hurting too much, and then gently helped her to get more comfortable in bed. She looked intently at his face, and looked away immediately after feeling the same pull from his amber sight, a faint blush gracing her cheeks.

"Are you feeling any better now?" He asked, but she didn´t meet his gaze. He was still too close for her comfort, while he kept on fixing the bed.

"Yes. Thank you." She then turned around, realizing she had been quite rude so far. "I´m sorry I didn´t introduce myself! My name is…"

"Kuchiki Rukia." The boy said. "But you´re wrong, you _did_ introduce yourself." She raised an eyebrow. "One of the times you were coming in and out of consciousness, I could actually ask your name, and you gave it to me." She tried her hardest not to gasp, hoping that her name was the only information he had taken from her in that state. "But it´s me the one who hasn´t introduced to you properly. My name is…"

"Iiiiiiiichiiigoooo!!!!"

A loud cry came out of the door, and suddenly something collided against the orange-haired boy, sending him to the closest wall.

Rukia could see that Ichigo was wrestling with a man who was pinning him against the floor. The said man had a strange, goat-like beard, and an impossible grin on his face, while struggling against a very pissed off Ichigo.

"Hear me now, my son, you shouldn´t let your guard down even when you´re in front of a beauty such as…" Gesturing at the bed, the man turned to see her, and opened his eyes enormously. "Rukia-chan! You´re awake!! " He immediately let go of his grunting son and jumped at her, arms wide open, while rivers of tears came from his eyes. "I´m soooo thankful for what you did!!!" Rukia´s face displayed sheer terror at the idea of that big body of his collapsing against her wounds, when Ichigo´s direct kick to his father´s face changed his course, sending him crashing against the chairs close to the bed.

"You moron!!!" A vein was throbbing in his temple so dangerously that Rukia was afraid it would bleed anytime soon. "Can´t you see she´s wounded?? You could´ve hurt her even more!!" Ichigo yelled at him, completely transfixed by his action.

The man looked at his son with a bleeding nose and tons of tears running down his face. "But I _knew_ you wouldn´t allow it!! I knew she was safe!!" Yuzu immediately went to her father´s side to comfort him, while he whispered something about his boy not respecting him, then the girl took Isshin out of the room, speaking soothing words to him.

"Baka!" barked Ichigo, then turned to look at Rukia, who was still out of words for the past actions. "Are you all right?"

"Y-yes…" she blinked at him, trying to recover her composure. "Yes I´m fine. Thank you."

"Nah, don´t worry." He sat in front of her. "I´m sorry for my father´s odd behavior. He´s crazy, but he´s a good man."

"Ah... I´m sure"

They stood in silence for a moment, each one in their own thoughts, when finally Ichigo gathered courage enough to ask.

"Why did you do it?"

"I-I´m sorry?" she looked up, startled and confused by his question. "Why did I do what?"

Ichigo sighed, he hated it when he had to repeat his questions, specially this one. "Are you deaf? Why did you save us?"

With all the awkwardness, the fear and pain running throw her, her temper (something that was never under control anyways) exploded easily at him, forgetting for a second her wounds. "What do you mean?? How rude of you! I saved you!! Shouldn´t you be thanking me instead??"

"Geez!!" the tension that had been building up into him exploded as well. "_Everyone _has been thanking you so far! How full of yourself you are!! How much do you need?? It was just a simple _question_!!" they stared each-other down, with fury in their eyes.

"You´re right!" she yelled back, her blood boiling at his words. "I made a mistake. I should´ve left that hollow chew you up, for being such a _jerk_!!" she had been so angry at proving her point that she jerked forward to stress her last words, and yelped as a painful stab ran on her shoulder.

"Rukia!" Ichigo was about to yell back when he saw her hurt, and immediately ran to her and helped her down. "Baka." He spoke in a lower voice. "See what happens when you don´t follow advice?"

Rukia allowed herself to be pulled down, squirming. "Idiot. It was all _your_ fault… thank you."

He smirked and rearranged her pillows again, placing her softly on them. They stood silent for another minute.

"Thank you." Ichigo said. She looked at him still a bit wary, but nodded in acceptance. "But I need you to answer me. I just can´t understand. We are complete strangers for you. Why did you save us?"

Rukia looked intently at him, a surprised stare in her eyes.

"I don´t know. I wasn´t thinking if I should or shouldn´t do it, I just knew I had to. Wouldn´t you have done the same?"

He gaped at her answer, and then looked away. He didn´t have an answer for that either.

------------

"Unohana-taicho." Said one of her subordinates. "Kuchiki-taicho is here to see you." The head of the fourth squad didn´t move an inch, her calm stand wasn´t affected, and her dark eyes never left the sakura trees she had been admiring, but she still allowed a little smile at the information. She had been expecting this, only she didn´t thought it would be this soon.

"Please, don´t make him wait. Send him right away."

"Yes, taicho." The man bowed and left, and the leader of the Kuchiki clan stepped over almost immediately. She smiled again. The past events must be very troublesome for him.

"Kuchiki-taicho." The woman said, bowing and then offering the man a seat. "What a wonderful surprise."

"Unohana-taicho." The tall man bowed as well and immediately sat in front of her, his dark tresses moving along him. His handsome features didn´t display any emotion, but she could see through his amethyst eyes, so much like his mother´s and his late wife´s. So much like his sister´s.

Her smile grew wider. "I´m still impressed to see the man that you´ve become, Kuchiki-taicho. Impressed to think that I helped deliver a beautiful baby, and saw growing in strength and wisdom such a sweet boy. So I can´t help but stare in awe at this handsome and powerful man that now stands in front of me."

Byakuya bowed at that. He was used to her compliments, being the center of them all his life, but still he felt a little warmth in his face. He respected too much this woman for not being affected by her words. Besides, he trusted her enough to allow himself a little bit of emotion around her. "It wasn´t my purpose to be like this, Unohana-taicho, but my parent´s will and own strengths."

"And beauty." Unohana offered.

He smiled at that. "And beauty." He complied, knowing that she was referring to his mother, Unohana´s best friend for many years before she passed away. He knew she still cherished her memory, and somewhat saw her in his features.

"But tell me, Kuchiki-taicho, what brings you here in such an early hour?"

"My sister, Unohana-taicho, I´m concerned about her." Unohana forced herself not to smirk. She could read him so well… "This man, this…" he clenched his teeth a bit. "Kurosaki-taicho wouldn´t allow her to return, even when I sent one of the elders to retrieve her back, arguing that she wasn´t in a state of traveling, and saying that it was a report from one of your subordinates." She didn´t move her eyes from him, waiting for his final words. "I´m asking you, Unohana-taicho, if you can see for me if that is correct."

"You don´t trust my subordinates´ skill, Byakuya?"

He noticed the change to less proper addressing, and he understood. She wanted to talk intimately with him, wanted him to be sincere. He repressed a sigh. Byakuya knew that, by coming to see her, he was risking this conversation, but he couldn´t let that man have his way without a fight.

"Of course I trust them, Retsu-san. But I know your experience is vast, maybe you could help my sister recover faster so that she can come back home?"

"Are you this worried about her?" she asked softly.

"Of course I´m worried about her. She´s my sister."

Unohana raised a hand to stop him. "You know what I mean, Byakuya." She locked eyes with him. "Is it fine with you to have her in your house? Are you not in need of your own space a bit?" He avoided her stare, looking towards the sakura trees. It had always given him some peace, but this time it didn´t work. They reminded him of better and happier times that now were becoming painful at Rukia´s presence.

Without turning his stare, after a moment he answered. "You know I respect you more than anyone in the Sereitei, and you alone, outside of the Kuchiki family, know the reason of Rukia´s adoption. But yes." This time he looked back at her dark eyes. "It _is _painful to look at her. She resembles her sister almost to perfection. But it was a promise I made to Hisana, and it´s a promise I´m determined to keep. She needs to be in the Kuchiki manor so that I can do it."

Unohana sighed, closing her eyes and nodding. "That´s what I´m talking about." She met his sight, locking eyes with him again. "You should let her stay at the Kurosaki´s. As much as you despise them, you know they´re people of word. They´ll take good care of her. And use this time away from her to get your ideas and your feelings in order, so you don´t have to suffer this much." She sighed again, extending her hand towards his and touching it lightly. He flinched at that, but didn´t move. "I hate to see you like this, Byakuya, but the only one that can help you is yourself."

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I´m sorry it´s too much thinking and musing, but believe me, it´s needed. Hope you enjoyed it!

Ah! And I did some fanart on the first chapter, you can see it at .com/art/Finding-116705806

´till next chapter!!


	3. Chapter 3

HADO

A/N: Wow guys!! You really impressed me with all those comments!! You make me so happy! I don´t know what would I do without you!

Before I forget, Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite, because if it weren´t, the pages would be full of IchiRukiness!!!!

Chapter 3.

"Rukia-nee! Rukia-nee!" Rukia had just finished taking a bath (with the help of some servants) when she heard Yuzu´s stressed voice and went out to meet her, as fast as her wounds would allow her."

"Yuzu-chan! What´s wrong?"

The little girl took her by the hand and stared at her, eyes impossibly wide. "Unohana-san has come over to see you!" she looked completely terrified. "She´ll take you away! Quick! We have to hide you!!" She pulled Rukia into the corridor, facing the end of it, probably towards her own room.

"B-but… Yuzu-chan!"

"Y… Yuzu… what are you doing?" asked a yawning and very sleepy Karin, who was stepping from outside their shared room and went out to meet them, awakened by all the ruckus her twin was making.

The girl let go of Rukia´s hand and shook her twin by the shoulders "Help me Karin! Unohana-san is talking with dad and wants to see Rukia-nee. She´ll take her away!!"

Karin´s eyes opened wide as well. "A-are you sure?"

"I overheard them talking when I was making breakfast! Hurry! We have to hide her!"

Rukia was completely at a loss of words. First for the intense pain the movement was causing to her wounds, and second for the girl´s actions. They seem to care so much for her that the twins were actually searching frantically for a place to hide. She smiled, touched at their attempt on protecting her.

"What are you girls doing!!?"

The three screamed when Isshin´s face showed through the doorframe, startling them and actually making Yuzu jump a bit for that. The twins started talking at the same time, making it unintelligible to understand, until Isshin raised his hand and stopped the frantic rambling.

"Karin, explain." His eyes were set rough, but he could barely repress his grin.

"Unohana-san is here to take Rukia-san from us" she answered, challenging her father with her eyes. "We can´t allow that to happen!"

"Uh? Who told you that?"

Karin looked embarrassed, and refused to meet her father´s eyes. She didn´t want to give her twin away. But Yuzu stepped over, looked shyly at her father and then averted her eyes, embarrassed as well.

"I- I overheard you talking to Unohana-san."

"You overheard?" Isshin´s grin grew wider this time. "What have we talked about overhearing other people´s conversations?" He tried as much as he could to sound angry. Only, he was failing completely, and Rukia almost giggled at that.

Both twins blushed a deep red, and Yuzu´s eyes started to muster. "I- I…"

Rukia was about to step over when Isshin placed his hands on each of his daughters´ heads, and smiled tenderly at them. "It´s ok, girls. Don´t worry, you know papa would never let anyone take Rukia-chan from you." Karin stole a glance towards her father. "But you´re wrong. Unohana-taicho is not here to take her away. She´s here to heal her" He turned around, addressing the woman that stood beside him. "And to know if we´re treating her well, isn´t that right, taicho?"

She smiled sweetly at the girls, looking intently to each one of them. "You´re perfectly right, Kurosaki-taicho. I´m just here to see if Rukia-chan is well."

The twins´ face lit up immensely, and Yuzu hugged Rukia, careful not to hurt her… too much. "You´re staying! You´re staying!!"

Rukia looked with a worried expression towards Isshin, who nodded and smiled at her. She smiled back and placed a reassuring hand in the little girl´s head. "Yes, Yuzu-chan. It seems to be I´m staying." Then she yelped this time, as she heard someone´s cry, so very close to her ear. When she turned, she saw it came from Isshin, who had rivers of tears streaming down his cheeks. Again.

"Masaki!! See how happy your girls are!! Our family is growing in number!! Masaki!!" He cried even more, looking towards the sky, until Karin kicked him in the stomach, making him kneel.

"Shut up, goat chin! You´re embarrassing us!!!" A sweat drop came from everyone´s head.

While the girl kept on kicking his fallen and crying father, Unohana put a hand in Rukia´s healthy shoulder, prompting her to follow and smiling down at her. "Don´t worry, everything will be ok. But we need to talk."

Rukia sighed and let go of Yuzu. "Yes, Unohana taicho."

They went to Rukia´s room and sat facing each other. Unohana immediately undressed her and started to take out the bandages, very carefully. From time to time she stole glances at the girl, who flinched as she progressed. 'Poor Byakuya. She _is _Hisana´s living picture.'

"Does it hurt much, Kuchiki-chan?"

She jerked at the use of her new last name, startled. She still wasn´t used to it. "J-just a bit, Unohana-taicho."

"You don´t like that name?"

Rukia opened up her eyes wide, scared at the idea of this venting into her brother´s ears. "N-no, no! it´s not that, Unohana-taicho! It´s my name after all. Please forgive me for such a disregard of manners!" she would´ve bowed if she weren´t half naked an under Unohana´s grip on her shoulder.

The woman was surprised at the girl´s jump, obviously scared. "It´s okay, Rukia-chan. Can I call you Rukia-chan?" the girl nodded. They stood some minutes without speaking.

"It was a very brave thing you did back there. The Kurosaki must completely adore you for it."

"I don´t deserve this much attention coming from them. They´re being too kind to me."

"Nonsense, young woman. You saved their lives, and even more so, Kurosaki´s heir." Rukia didn´t respond, and Unohana didn´t push any further. "You have a very bad wound in here, it´s actually a miracle you´re alive." The woman said, after fully uncovering the girl´s shoulder. The wound was still open, although the bleeding had stopped. It ran from the base of her neck to where her arm was born, both in the front as in the back. For what Unohana could see, it seemed that some teeth had sunk deep into Rukia´s lung, but she could also see that her subordinate had done a good job. That wound was almost healed. But Unohana was worried, nevertheless. The flesh was open, no skin to protect it, blood could still pour out of it, when, with the use of Kido, it should´ve just left a mark that in one or two days would only leave a faint scar. What kind of hollow could do such damage as this?

"Okay, stand still. This might hurt a little." Rukia grimaced at the feeling of warm kido applied to her injury. It stung like hell, actually burned, but she could feel it was easing the throbbing pain that she had gotten used to by now.

"Thank you. Unohana-taicho."

The captain nodded, and after some minutes, broke the silence again.

"Your brother, Kuchiki-taicho, sent his regards, hoping that you get well and come back to him soon enough."

Rukia opened her eyes wide, but then a sad mist covered the amethyst orbs. She knew that the woman was saying it only to comfort her. Her brother would never say such things. "Thank you." She closed her eyes again, this time with a weight on her spirit. The man had never looked at her but only once, when he had adopted her. Whenever they talked, he made sure his eyes were astray from her. This made her feel even lonelier than before. Impossibly lonely.

"Well, at least it seems that the injuries in your arm and head are healing quite well. That´s a relief. But you should be careful with the bite in your shoulder." Unohana warned. "I don´t understand the physiopathology, it must be the hollow´s saliva. But normal level kido seems to have not much effect on it. I could barely heal it with my own reiatsu." She closed the handle in her katana, were she put some of the samples she had taken from Rukia´s shoulder, and looked intently at her. "I´ll do some research on these so that we can heal you better. In the meantime, you have to stay here."

Rukia´s eyes opened like plates, afraid of what her brother would have to say to this. In the little time she got to spend with the Kuchiki, she had learnt of the loathe her brother held for the Kurosakis, although she didn´t know why.

Unohana smiled reassuringly, understanding immediately the girl´s terrified look. "Don't worry. I´ve talked with your brother, and he knows that, if it´s an order coming from me, then not even the Kuchiki leader can disobey."

Rukia was relieved by that. But just a little. Unohana eyed her with a menacing look.

"And that includes _you_, young woman." Rukia did smile this time, with a faint blush on her cheek, thinking at how easily the captain had read her body language. But she felt so comfortable with her, that she couldn´t take it really as threatening.

"I understand, Unohana-taicho."

"Good." The older woman smiled, and got up from the bed. "Well then, I´ll be off. I´ll send one of my subordinates in three days, and I hope you get better. If I find something new on this, I´ll come personally and let you now."

"Thank you so much, Unohana-taicho." Rukia bowed this time. "You´re so kind."

"You don´t need to thank me, Rukia-chan. Is the least I can do for a Kuchiki." Rukia flinched a little, and Unohana´s eyes looked at her tenderly, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You _are_ a Kuchiki now, whether you like it or not. Please understand that Byakuya has placed great trust on your shoulders." Rukia´s pale face faintly blushed, and she dropped her shoulders slightly, overwhelmed by the idea. "No, Rukia-chan." The woman´s voice raised a pitch. "You´ve become a Kuchiki just recently, but I know you have that strength inside of you. That will and pride. The only thing your brother will do for you is to nourish it, making you stronger." But Rukia´s stance didn´t change a bit, so the woman dropped it and decided to let the girl mull over it, and left stealing a last glance at her.

Rukia stood there, silent for some minutes, thinking those words and the immense weight they had brought on her shoulders, when she noticed movement in her periphery vision. She glanced up, and saw Karin in the doorframe, silent, looking with a combination of anger and shyness (or embarrassment) at approaching her. Rukia smiled a bit, reassuring the girl, so Karin gave some steps towards her, without meeting her eyes.

"The guys are sparing now. My dad sent me to ask you if you would like to come over and watch, Rukia-nee."

Rukia was surprised. "In the three days I´ve been in here, it´s the first time you call me like that."

Karin blushed at those words, deepening her frown. Just like her brother´s, Rukia noticed. "Thank you." She said lightly. The girl glanced at her, a bit taken by surprise.

"Yeah, well..." Karin said with a shrug, stood there motionless for a moment, and then seemed to have made up her mind, because she took Rukia´s hand to help her stand and led her to the training grounds.

When they arrived, Rukia saw they were in a beautiful garden surrounded by multicolored flowers with some sakura trees, and in the middle of it was a small field, with many artifacts for training, where she could see the small group practicing. She saw Isshin and his flashing-haired son, as well as Sado and Toshirou.

The boys were surrounding the man menacingly, whose wide grin told her that he wasn't at all worried at how outnumbered he was. The boys walked a little bit crouched around him, the wooden katanas at the ready, while he closed his eyes and yielded both of his katanas, one in the front, the other beside him. They stood there like that until Isshin yelled what seemed to Rukia a war cry, and then the boys attacked at the same time, screaming as well, but Isshin stopped two of the three swords with his own and the third kid, Sado, was smacked in the abdomen with a tremendous kick.

One down, two more to go.

Without losing his inertia, the man gave a complete turn, breaking Ichigo´s and Toshirou´s attacking stance and avoiding a direct blow from his son, responding with a hit in the back with all the weight of his katana, and making Rukia grimace at the slashing sound as it met Ichigo´s flesh.

Toushiro was defeated immediately after with a slap in the face that had him watching stars for a moment. Isshin then laughed at them, while they were tending their respective painful areas.

Getting close to Ichigo, Isshin kicked him in the ribs, making the boy curse quite loudly. "Learn your lesson, my son. Don´t you ever let your guard down."

"Go away and die goat chin!!!!!" was Ichigo´s painful response, while he tended his bruised side.

Although they were all beginners, by his movements Rukia couldn´t deny it. The head of the Kurosaki house really had quite the skills in swordsmanship. She _was _impressed by him.

The guys started to rise from the ground, groaning and reading themselves for the next assault.

"My dad _is _good, isn´t he?" Karin asked her, with a huge proud smile plastered on her face.

"There´s no denying that, Karin-chan." Both girls stood there in awe, until Yuzu called them over to sit near a tree, and gave them each one some juice she had made earlier. Then the twins got a respective seat on Rukia´s side, as if escorting her. She couldn´t help but be surprised at how easily this family was making her part of them. She felt rather uncomfortable, but it also felt nice, in some way, the feeling of being accepted in a place where love could be felt in the air. She sighed deeply, happy with the idea.

"Yooooo!!! Kurosaki-kun!!" Rukia heard a female voice yelling from behind them, and turned to see a girl taller than her, but who seemed around her age. Her long hair was orange as well, many shades darker than Ichigo´s, and seemed rather smooth. She was thin, with a small waist that contrasted with her rather large… er… she seemed like a nice girl.

Beside her stood a skinny guy, with a long face and eyes somewhat hidden behind spectacles that glittered in the intense sunlight, his dark hair contrasting with his pale skin. She noticed his stance, close to the girl, in a protective intention. Was he her boyfriend?

"Inoue-san! Ishida-san!!" Yuzu called, excited, and ran to greet them. Karin looked back at them and sighed, and to Rukia she seemed to be rather annoyed.

"Hey!! Ishida!!" Ichigo yelled at them, with sweat all over his face, dampening his clothes. "Get your sorry ass over here! Unless you´re coward enough!!"

A vein throbbed in the raven haired guy´s temple. "How insulting! Okay, I´ll go before you start crying like last time."

"Whhaaattt???!!! You moron!! Come over here and let me kick your sorry ass!!"

"Stop yelling curses, Kurosaki!! There are ladies here!!" the boy rushed to meet them, vein still throbbing.

"As if you didn´t curse, you whinney!"

"I don´t whine!!!!"

Sado chuckled lightly at their exchange, something that impressed Rukia a bit. Since she had met the big guy, he´d always been as close to her as he could, always cautious whenever she was around and ready to help her in every way he could find. But always silent, his face never showing much emotion but surprise, and she had found he blushed quite easily.

"Rukia-nee!" Yuzu took her from her reverie. "This is Inoue Orihime-san, Ichi-nii´s friend!"

Rukia raised her eyes to meet the girls´ and greet her, when she noticed the intent look she was receiving from Inoue, as if the girl were glancing to a poisoned or otherwise dangerous animal. She didn´t like that look. At all. Rukia didn´t say anything, her eyes never left the girl´s, forcing Inoue to look away. The girl blushed, and then stared back at Rukia for the proper greeting.

"Nice to meet you. Yuzu told me your name is…"

"Kuchiki Rukia." She said in a cold voice, and lowered her face a bit, glaring menacingly at her. "Nice to meet you too." This was the glare that had earned her some respect back at Rukongai. As well as some enemies. Karin stared at both of them, smirking. 'Well' she thought 'this was going to be interesting.'

Both girls stood facing each other for almost a full minute, Orihime a bit tremulous (which made Rukia´s smirk grow wider), but this was a match she _knew_ she couldn´t allow herself to lose, until Yuzu pulled Inoue to a seat beside them. "C´mon Inoue-san, sit with us to watch them have fun!"

"O-okay, Yuzu-chan."

The moment she broke eye contact with Orihime, Rukia scolded herself inwardly. She _was_ just a guest, and such a bothersome one, and this girl was friends with the family. She should be more polite to her. 'But she started it!!' was the childish answer from her consciousness.

"So, Kuchiki-san, are you an acquaintance of the Kurosaki´s?"

"No, I-."

"She saved Ichi-nii and Karin´s lives!!" was Yuzu´s reply. Orihime stared wide eyed at Rukia, making her feel uncomfortable. "Tell her, Karin!!"

The twin smiled evilly at that. "My pleasure, Yuzu." And she started the story she had retold several times before, although this time she exaggerated Rukia´s participation… but just a bit, according to her.

After the third time Rukia scolded Karin for the new interpretation of her actions, she decided to give up and instead watched the boys sparing. With a sigh, she wished with all her might she could be with them. Even though she sucked at it, they seem to be having fun. So sad Unohana had been too keen in making her understand the severity of her wounds.

They stood there watching them spar for the rest of the day.

------------

After the practice, the guys were worn out but happy, so everyone started to gather their things to go and get ready for dinner, when Ishida approached Ichigo.

"Who´s the girl sitting beside your sisters?"

Ichigo turned to see them chatting. "Long story. But in short, she saved us from a hollow."

"_She_ saved _you_??" Ichigo glared at him, and Ishida whistled. "Kurosaki, I know you´re not strong, but being saved by a girl like _her_, well…" Without a word, Ichigo threw a punch towards Ishida, who stopped it in middair.

"Whatever" Ichigo said after retrieving his arm. "She saved Sado too!"

"Hey!" was the only reply from his friend, before the huge boy started to follow the rest towards the house.

They began walking as well, although a bit distanced from the girls. "She´s rather pretty." Ishida said.

"Uh?" Ichigo was startled by that statement, but turned immediately to look intently at Rukia, who was walking with Yuzu´s hand in her own and Karin´s escort in her left. "Well, she does have a pretty face, but… she kinda looks like a kid. She´s short and doesn´t have any of a woman´s body at all."

"Her eyes seem quite beautiful, though, smart shine."

Ichigo laughed mockingly at that. "Please!! Because I _know _that what you see in Orihime are her _eyes_!"

Ishida´s face burned and threw a kick towards Ichigo, missing completely. "Shut your mouth up, Kurosaki!!"

Ichigo was about to answer back when his father hit him from the back, making him stagger. "What was that for???"

"You moron, help Rukia-chan to get into the house."

"What??? Why??" He could see Ishida´s mocking smile. "She can walk, don´t you see?? Aren´t you exaggerating a bit about this?"

Isshin hit his son once more. "Do as I say."

Cursing, Ichigo opened his stride and reached the girl and, without a single warning, he lifted her from the ground (careful to watch over her injuries) and opened his steps even longer.

"What are you doing??" screamed Rukia at him.

"Shut up midget! My dad´s orders."

"What??" She looked at him with a killing look digging deep into her amethyst sight. "What did you just call me??"

His ears flashed deep red. He´d never wanted to insult her, he had just been so mad! "Uh… sorry, I…" But this time she was completely thrown off balance by his insult, and started kicking her legs off, and punching him with her healthy fist. "Stop it, midget!! You´ll fall over!!"

"Stop calling me midget, you idiot!!"

"I said I was sorry, all right?? It´s not my fault you´re extremely short!!"

This was it. Ignoring the pain the movement caused her, Rukia kicked his face with her knee and then bit him at the neck. "GAaaaahhhrgh!!!" He almost made her fall if it wasn´t for Ishida´s intervention, catching her just immediately after he had let her go.

"Stupid Kurosaki!! You´re hurting her!" Then Ishida realized she was in his arms, and stood there, face incredibly crimson and unable to move. Rukia didn´t feel his stare until after a moment, since she was too busy glaring at the orange haired moron. But then she noticed she had landed in someone else´s arms, and that the owner of them was staring at her, with an expression of awe. She blushed and cleared her throat.

"Excuse me." She said, trying to sound as nonchalant as she could. "I don´t know who you are but… can you put me on my feet, please?"

Ishida blushed even more and nodded. "Y-yes, sorry… m-my name is Ishida Uryuu."

"Nice to meet you, Ishida-san. I´m Kuchiki Rukia." As he was placing her in the ground, Ichigo recovered and started yelling at them.

"Stupid and ungrateful midget!! I could´ve hurt you! I was just trying to help you!!"

"Well it seems to me that you were brute enough to do that. You were _hurting _me, idiot!!"

"I started to hurt you because you kept on moving as if you were a sac of worms!! Argh!" this time she had been faster than Ichigo, kicking him in the shin and turning away from him, determined on ignoring whatever he had to say, and taking Yuzu by the hand.

"C´mon, girls. Let´s get something to eat." She said with as much dignity as she could muster.

Yuzu nodded, looking worriedly at her brother, but Karin had a wide grin on her face. Yes, this girl was definitely interesting.

Ichigo followed them, cursing, while Ishida stared at Rukia, blushing, impressed by the fire in her actions. The stare didn´t pass unnoticed by the auburn-haired young woman standing beside them, who followed the group.

Behind them all, Isshin had a killing smile in his face. "Aaah… young love."

--------------

After the meal, Rukia had returned to the garden, she had fallen in love with that place, and had decided to take the evenings there for as long as she would stay at the Kurosaki´s.

Since she couldn´t climb a tree, she settled it with resting at its roots, feeling incredibly at peace at the moment, even when her shoulder throbbed a little bit painfully, and was falling into a light slumber when she heard the trees branches moving. Was it an animal?

"Rukia!!" was the scream that reached her ears.

"Yaaargh!!" she jumped, startled by the yell.

"What? What´s wrong?" She looked up and saw Renji, her so missed friend, looking back at her, completely upside down, his legs secured in one of the branches.

"Oh my…! Renji!! You scared the hell out of me!!"

"Why? You never got scared no matter what I did!" he jumped to the ground and sat next to her. "Are you all right?" He asked her, concern in his voice. "You never came back to the academy and there were some stories of you fighting a hollow. What happened, Rukia? Are you hurt?"

His worried expression clutched at her heart, and she averted her eyes from him, afraid he could still read her.

"Yes, I´m fine, Renji. Don´t worry."

He snickered. "How come you´re fine but you haven´t been at the academy at all? Don´t you care what happens to your grades? You can be kicked off!"

"No, I´m not worried. Kurosaki-dono talked to the principal, and so I have permission to stay here for as long as Unohana-taicho says."

"Unohana-taicho?" he asked surprised. "A taicho is treating your wounds?? Are they _that_ severe?"

"No, moron! My nii-sama asked her to come and see me." She sighed as an idea hit her. "I´m a Kuchiki, after all."

This time it was his chest the one that tightened by her words. The last name reminded him that she was unreachable for him. For now.

They remained silent for a moment, already not used to the other´s presence, which worried Rukia a bit. Was she going to lose him, after all? They were distancing from each other a lot this time, she could feel it by the awkward position they held. Was this unavoidable?

"So tell me, what happened to you?"

"Why should I tell you?" she challenged.

"Because I keep repeating myself that you attacked the hollow seeing that we did it as well and survived."

"I did not!"

He sighed. "Rukia, I told you that because I wanted you to know how dangerous hollows are, especially since I know that you _never_ measure danger. You think you can accomplish it all, but look at you!" she flinched at his words. Damn! He still could read her.

"It´s not what you think. I went there because there wasn´t anyone around but me. For heaven´s sake Renji! They were _kids_!! I couldn´t just stand there and watch them die!!" she inhaled and calmed herself a little. "You know I can´t do that."

Yes, he knew. He knew she would expose herself to protect others. She always did that, fighting bigger and older kids than her, even some grown ups, whenever she saw a little child being frightened or abused at. It had always left her with a bleeding nose, a darkened eye or even a broken bone, and sometimes that included _him_ as well, since he always came to her rescue. But he remembered the grin of sufficiency plastered on her face whenever she could see the child clutching to her, now safe, and was happy to see she was able to help.

"Promise me you won´t do it again" he said with a low voice.

"Then why am I becoming a shinigami?" she scoffed at him, rolling her eyes. She understood him perfectly. But she knew he understood her too.

"I didn´t tell you the thing that happened to us so that you would rush and face a hollow." He spoke again.

"Renji!!" she yelled at him, flustered. "I _didn´t_ went there searching for the hollow!! The moment I attacked I _knew _I wasn´t strong enough nor skilled enough to win!"

"Damn it, Rukia! Then why did you do it??" he was scared at the idea of losing her for something so stupid.

Rukia inhaled deeply, trying to repress her boiling temper. "_Because_ the kids were in the middle! I _had _to save them!! Please Renji, understand! I couldn´t let them die!"

He sighed and lowered his gaze. "I know. But it still scares me to picture you… facing that monster…"

Rukia sighed too, knowing her friend was being sincere. "I know." Was her faint response.

They stood silent a minute, until he spoke again.

"You know? You did exactly what Momo did."

"Who?"

"Momo. My friend. She was the one who charged against the hollows, trying to help Hisagi-senpai."

Ah.

A _female_ friend.

Rukia raised an eyebrow and felt her ears rather hot, but didn´t know why.

"She stood there in the middle of the fight, watching the senpai struggle with the hollow." He kept on. "And it was she the one who ran to him, trying to help him, just like you did those kids. When Kira and I saw her running, we just ran after her, trying to protect her."

Oh.

So he _ran_ to protect _her._

She felt a tic growing on her left eyebrow.

Since she didn´t talk, Renji misinterpreted her silence, thinking that she was interested. "You´ll meet her soon enough, I´ll make sure of that! She´s very nice and sweet, although sometimes too sweet for me, but she´s also very skilled with the swords and even more so at kido." The tic grew in intensity. "She´s very playful and smart, she knows a lot of things; she´s kinda like a little genius, if you ask me. You just wait, you´ll love her."

Oh yes.

Rukia was already _loving_ this girl.

"Oh, but the good part of her is that…"

"Renji." She interrupted him with a warning glare.

He raised an eyebrow at her tone. "Uh? What´s wrong, Rukia?"

"I think you should leave." Was her cold reply.

"Uh? What? Why? I just got here!"

"Because I´m tired and my shoulder is starting to ache. I need to rest." She refused to meet his eyes.

"But I can´t leave right now!"

"And why is that?" she asked, menacingly this time.

He was taken aback, but then grinned evilly. "Because I came all the way here just to see your wound!"

Her eyes grew wide in surprise "You´re disgusting, Renji!"

"Oh c'mon! Just a peek! They say it´s awful"

"Of course I´m _not _showing it to you!!"

"Oh please Rukia! Oh! I know! I´ll show you mine so that you can show me yours!"

Her eyes grew impossibly wide, watching him roll up the sleeve of his hakama. "N-no Renji, that won´t be necessary."

But he didn´t listen, and showed his bare leg, all muscled, causing Rukia to blush bright crimson. "See? This one was done with a slash from Kira. He´s so clumsy sometimes!" He laughed at the memory, and caused something similar to a chuckle from his friend. Rukia had heard of the guy before, and he seemed like a nice kid.

"That´s not even a scratch! Nope. I refuse to show you mine."

"Yeah? Well, look at this." He opened up the front of his robe, revealing very well toned muscles in his chest and stomach. This time Rukia turned purple, especially when he took her little hand so that she could feel the texture of the scar, barely visible in that light. "You see? This was done in a practice. Here, you can feel how rough it is."

"Y-yes." She stammered a bit. "It does feel rough… but…"

"Still won´t show me your scar? Okay! I still have one more to go. Here." He started to take off his robe, revealing his broad, stone-hard shoulders, and this time Rukia lost a heart beat.

"N-no! wait! Renji!! A-alright, alright! I´ll show you! But please put your clothes on!!"

He grinned with an air of sufficiency. "Now we´re talking!"

"Well, it _is_ a nasty wound, you know?" She didn´t know why but Rukia felt too shy. The idea of exposing some skin to him made her feel flustered, which was weird, given that they had lived together all their childhood. "Unohana-taicho was impressed at it, so I warn you." She removed some of her kimono at the level of her shoulder and a bit of the bandage closest to her neck, letting him take a peek. "There. It´s the only thing you´ll get."

He whistled. "It looks pretty bad! Man! I don´t have one of those!!" he sounded like whimpering.

She laughed at that, repressing the flinch that always crept at her in every move. She didn´t want Renji to know she was hurting. After all, they barely saw each other anymore, and Rukia wished to enjoy his presence as much as she could. "So. You want to know how I got this?"

"Sure I want!"

She smiled at him, and began telling the story… with the inflictions and turnarounds that she had heard from Karin. After all, a little bit of that wouldn´t hurt anybody, right?

They remained talking the rest of the evening, catching up, until the night fell and he had to leave.

--------------------

The days were passing by rather slowly to Rukia, who felt happy to be in that house but who was becoming restless by the inactivity, and the fact that her wounds were aching less didn't help much. She felt stronger, and she wanted to participate in everything, but the Kurosaki´s kept on pampering her (except Ichigo, who only did it when he was forced) and this was getting in her nerves. She wasn´t used to it, and it actually made her feel useless. It was also the idea of the days she hadn´t assist to the Academy. Renji was right, what about her grades?

So she stood there, watching them sparing but with her mind elsewhere. Yuzu sometimes had to move her a bit to take her from her reverie. She was starting to love these girls, and even thought it would be painful once she had to leave the house. But this wasn´t right, she already had a house on her own and she had to return to the Academy. Soon. The inactivity was wearing her out.

She was musing on this when she noticed Karin approaching the guys, with a wooden katana on her hand, and making them stop their activity when they noticed her presence.

"What´s wrong, Karin?" Isshin asked softly.

"I want to practice with you. I want to spare with you." Was her reply, with a determined look on her eyes that pierced her father.

"Nonsense, Karin!" Ichigo yelled at her. "You can´t be here with us. You´re too young, and could get yourself hurt."

"But Toshirou is with you! And he is _my_ age!" was her angry reply. The addressed boy was about to answer when Ichigo beat him to it.

"But you are a _girl_ Karin! You don´t have the strength!"

That was it.

Ichigo´s statement had reached Rukia´s heart as a sting (it still impressed her at how easily she lost her temper with him). His words reminded her of the thousands of times she was about to be left behind for being a girl, and then the thousand and one times she had to prove they were wrong. With a determined look in her eyes, she approached Karin.

"Don´t be stupid!" She yelled at him. "That´s no reason enough to not let her practice with you! That´s lame!"

"What are you saying midget!? We could hurt her! Don´t you care what could happen? Besides, she´ll hold us down!"

A vein throbbed in her temple (something he was rather proficient on doing to her). "I´ve told you thousands of times." She looked at him with a killing intent on her eyes. "Do. Not. Call me." She took the katana from Karin´s hand and launched forward, attacking Ichigo. "MIDGET!!"

With one hand she took the weapon and charged many times at him, clashing her sword with his and making him stagger backwards. "Oi! Midget! Stop it!! What the hell you think you´re doing???" everyone was at a loss of words for her sudden attack. True, she wasn´t good at it, but it didn´t mean she didn´t have any skill at all. She at least knew the basics and the theory. The thing she lacked was the ability.

"Trying to make you remember you´re forbidden to call me THAT!!" She kept on clashing the swords. Her intention wasn´t to hurt him, but at least to injure his pride a bit. He deserved it many times over.

"Oi!! Dad! Do something!! Stop her!!" He yelled desperately at his father, worried that she could get hurt. Or actually hurt _him_. She had skills, that at least he couldn´t deny.

"Sorry lad." Isshin shrugged. "I´ve learned quite well never to get in the path of an angry woman."

"Dammit, you traitor!"

"Stop being a pussy and attack me, Ichigo!!"

"Hey!! Don´t insult me like that, MIDGET!!"

"Aaargh!!!" she screamed at him, and drew backwards to meet his blade more fiercely. She had him already against a tree, and lurched forward to attack once more. He closed his eyes and gave a blind slash, hoping that it would hit against her blade. He felt the impact, and actually twisted a bit his wrist, but then everything became silent. When he stole a glance at Rukia, Ichigo saw that her weapon was far away from her, close to Isshin´s feet, and that she was breathing agitatedly, just like him. Her eyes were covered by her dark tresses, and her hands were clenched in tight fists.

"A-are you alright… Rukia?" he asked, almost afraid of moving.

She didn´t move for a few seconds, when, suddenly, she kicked him hard at his shin.

"Aaghh!! Stupid midget!!"

As he clutched his injured leg, she turned around and decidedly walked towards the house, not meeting anyone´s eyes. Karin wanted to approach her but her father took her by the shoulder, shaking his head. He understood she needed some space.

Ishida looked at her retrieval, with an unreadable expression on his face, while Sado whistled, grinning, and Toshirou smirked at Ichigo. "I think she defeated you, Kurosaki."

"Shut up!!."

------------

Rukia was breathing heavily, and once she reached the kitchen, confident that nobody was there, she leaned her body on the wall, sliding down slowly. The pain was unbearable, and she clutched her arm, sweat already on her head and neck. She removed a bit of her kimono, exposing some of her shoulder, and could see crimson stains on the bandages.

"Shimatta!" she cursed, as she bumped her head on the wall. She knew she had done something very stupid back there, but she had been so angry! And it had actually felt good, ventilating all that frustration like that… until the pain came. Stupidly, she thought, it only made her strike harder at him, this time angry at her wounds until, still clumsy with the sword, she had lost her grip on the katana.

"Shimatta!" she cursed once more, as she thought that they were going to call Unohana-taicho. And she could only imagine what the woman would say to her. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"I knew it." A male voice spoke in front of her, and she opened her eyes, startled, watching Ishida´s slim figure in front of her, a pained expression in his eyes. "I knew you had hurt yourself."

---------------------

----------------------------

A/N:

Nooo!! Ishida! What are you going to do??? *devilish laughter*

Well, hope you guys enjoyed it. Fiiiuu!!! It was sooo hard to write this time!! but as always, had so much fun doing it. Hope you enjoy as much as I do!!

And now, I wonder… who will be the next prospect to appear? *wiggles her eyebrows*

Until next chapter!!


	4. Chapter 4

HADO

A/N: You guys are SOOOOOO amazing!!!!! I adore all your comments! Thanks to you all, I´m actually stepping off of that faithless state Kubo had me!! Especially to Peca, who spent quite a time trying to lift me up from the mud. Thank you, thank you all so much!!

And special thanks to Carrie, whose overdeveloped skill has really been an inspiration for this fic, as well as her keen observations. She´s given me the faith in myself that I needed in order to start a new form of art. Thank you so much my friend!!!

Before I forget, Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite, because if it were mine, the IchiRukiness will be the RULE!!!!

HADO.

Chapter 4.

"¿_Que hombre puede bajar los ojos como una mujer, y alzarlos como ella?"_

_Kierkegaard._

--------

_The pain was unbearable, and she clutched her arm, sweat already on her head and neck. She removed a bit of her kimono, exposing some of her shoulder, and could see crimson stains on the bandages._

"_Shimatta!" she cursed, as she bumped her head on the wall. She knew she had done something very stupid back there, but she had been so angry! And it had actually felt good, ventilating all that frustration like that… until the pain came. Stupidly, she thought, it only made her strike harder at him, this time angry at her wounds until, still clumsy with the sword, she had lost her grip on the katana._

"_I knew it." A male voice spoke in front of her, and she opened her eyes, startled, watching Ishida´s slim figure in front of her, a pained expression in his eyes. "You had hurt yourself."_

---------------

"Damn that woman!! Damn that _midget_!!!!"

Ichigo was cursing, barking and kicking whatever he could find close… and whomever as well, being this the reason why his father was lying unconscious at his feet, after an attempt from Isshin´s part of trying to take revenge for his third daughter´s honor… according to him.

"Why did she do that!!!??? I can´t believe her!!"

"Well…" said Toshirou, a bit bored at his tantrum. "I don´t really _think_ it could be because of the way you keep on calling her, you know? Even _I_ would be bothered by that." He barely suppressed a yawn.

"Hey! Is not that _you _don´t…" He couldn´t continue, for the point of a blade was scratching his throat, almost making him gulp. Toshirou glared at him menacingly.

"I _dare_ you to finish that sentence, Kurosaki." The white-haired boy threatened with a low, hissing tone.

Ichigo scowled even further, clenching the guard of his katana, when Karin stepped in between the two.

"Stop you morons!!! It´s no time for fighting!" both of them obliged, but kept on sending killing glares to the other. Angrily, Karin pushed her brother hard on the chest, making him take a step backwards, "Ichi-nii! Rukia-nee was right. You were mean to us and, besides, you _should _accept your defeat!! You´re the one who´s weak and she proved you that much!" Ichigo looked at his sister completely shell shocked as she smirked, pointing a finger towards him and saying the last sentence at the same time; she knew that it would make her brother go nuts and just took the opportunity Rukia had given her.

"What???!! You traitor!! You are _my_ sister!!!!" he stared at her murderously and she stared back, with the same killing intent written in her eyes. Toshirou had an amusing look on his face, while he watched, silently, the interchange between the siblings. He was really having fun this time.

"Yes well, remember, I´m just a _girl_ you moron!!!" with that, she kicked him furiously on the same spot Rukia had kicked before and turned around, striding towards the gates, with her chin held high. Karin had had enough of her family for one day. She needed some fresh air, and soon.

Toshirou snickered at her revenge, already taking pride of her actions. "Very well done, Kurosaki, that´s a way of treating your sister." Ignoring the death glares Ichigo was sending his way, and without uttering another word, the boy walked calmly towards the path the raven-haired girl had taken before. He knew that keeping her temper at bay would be something very hard to do at the moment. But he knew that it would be very interesting too.

Now that everyone was gone, Ichigo was jumping up and down on one foot, sending curses and threats into the air, this time with no one to kick or harm, or anything to take his rage upon. That´s when he noticed Sado, sitting some steps far away from them and looking intently, totally motionless, at the kitchen´s door. Ichigo stopped his rants and, limping, approached his best friend,

"What´s up Chad? Is something bothering you?"

The tall boy kept silent for a moment, until he finally answered. "Ishida went there, into the kitchen."

"Uh?" Ichigo looked at the direction his friend was pointing, confused. "Really? I didn´t notice." He shrugged, still lost on what his friend was trying to convey. "Don´t worry Chad, Ishida´s such a pussy, maybe he was afraid or maybe he thought the practice was too much for him and pretended to be hungry to hide behind the food." He shrugged again and turned around, taking some steps forward, and with that, trying to prompt Sado to follow. "C'mon, we should keep practicing, now that there won´t be any interruption."

"No. You don´t understand."

"Uh?" the low tone on his voice made Ichigo turn around and look at his friend, a little bit concerned this time. "What do you mean?"

"He went after her." He motioned his head to point at the door. "She must´ve been injured and he noticed. Ishida went to her." Sado turned to look at Ichigo intently, as if trying to convey something, his dark eyes ablaze with a strange brightness.

But Ichigo wasn´t looking at him anymore, he wasn´t even thinking, as Sado´s words finally reached his consciousness. His mind went blank and his blood started to boil as an idea crept to him.

Without thinking, and without a sound crossing his lips, he strode towards the house.

--------------------------------

Time seemed to stop, as both of them locked eyes with each other, Rukia´s terrified amethyst orbs searching into Ishida´s deep blue eyes, trying desperately to know if she should be afraid or relieved. She shifted nervously, now that her hide out had just been blown out. Damn! "Umh… well… I.." she fidgeted, totally at a loss of words.

"It´s okay, Kuchiki san." He kneeled in front of her, almost touching her with his knee. "I understand and don´t worry, I won´t tell the Kurosaki´s about this." Ishida looked down at her, lost on what he should do. God! She looked so fragile! It was incredible how she could look this way and, minutes ago, be the same person who defeated so blatantly a fiery Kurosaki Ichigo. He knew his friend was strong and such a spitfire, so he was amazed by this young woman´s strength… and then, after all that rush of raw power and sheer determination, to have her like this, looking so…

He blushed at the path his thoughts were taking.

Rukia took advantage of his moment of musing to clear her mind and get her ideas in order, so that she could face this guy. She had to convince him on not giving her away, and at the same time think on how she could find help for her newly reopened injury.

"How did you find me? Why did you come here, Ishida-san?" she blurted out, trying as best as she could not to let her terror show, and failing miserably. If Unohana found out about this, then her brother would definitely hear of it, and what would this mean was something she was very afraid of. But as if reading Rukia´s mind, he smiled and looked at her reassuringly.

"It was easy to tell by your movements, Kuchiki-san." He smiled a bit more, recalling her fighting stance, the agility and grace in her body, and her use of the blade, as if she was making it dance. "Although your arm was held in position, you shifted from time to time, and some hits made you squirm. As much as you wanted to hide it, it couldn´t be helped."

Her eyes grew wide in plates. He was keen, that was for sure. But did the others notice her pain as well?

"Why are you here?" she asked again. "Why did you come?" she flinched as the words came out of her mouth. Rukia could taste the sourness on her tone. She scolded herself inwardly for being so rude, but she couldn´t help it; after his words, the petit girl was now terrified by his presence and, furthermore, his possible intentions. She didn´t know this guy so well, and to find her in such a weakened and compromised position, made her even more wary of him.

"To help, of course." She was about to protest but he beat her to it. "Listen, my father isn´t a shinigami. He´s now a doctor and runs a clinic in the Real World that he built the moment he got permission from the Gotei 13th to live there. It´s been almost 20 years since that." His eyes never left hers while he explained, and at this point he skipped a second of his train of thought, lost in the depths of her amethyst eyes, but fortunately recovered quickly. "I used to visit him from time to time, when I was younger, so I know some of the basics and thus I´m able to do something for you. Please, Kuchiki-san, let me help you" his eyes searched for hers with a trace of sweetness on them. He hated it to see her hurt and, as a man, he was convinced it was his job to make that stop. "I know it must be painful."

She remained silent for a bit, searching in his eyes for a trace of malice, and he complied, but since she found none, Rukia sighed and allowed her shoulders to relax a bit. Well, if it was so, then maybe there was still hope. She _really _didn´t want to hear the 4th division taicho.

"I´m grateful that you want to help me, Ishida-san, but" she blushed a bit, averting her eyes from him, still apprehensive and a tad shy, "to change the bandages you have to… I mean, I… they´re too low in my shoulder and…"

"Oh." He understood, and blushed furiously. But he _had _come to help, and he´d seen his father take a professional look that didn´t let any emotion show, nor gave his feelings away. Ishida was sure he could accomplish the same. "Don´t worry, my intention is to help, not to take advantage. Please trust me, Kuchiki-san, I promise you I intent no ill."

She looked back at him again, this time with a small smile. She wanted to get back to the Academy so fiercely! And she knew that if Unohana found out about this, she would make her stay longer in the Kurosaki manor. Rukia had made her decision. If she had to trust a stranger so that she could avoid staying any longer, then so be it. She locked eyes with the bespectacled young man. "I´ll try, Ishida-san. Thank you for helping me."

"My pleasure." He leaned forward and drew his hands towards her, but then stopped abruptly, his mind went totally numb and his face took a deep red tone, as she removed the kimono from her shoulder, baring it and letting him get a glimpse of her flesh.

Of that soft, cream-like skin.

Now he could see that she was furiously scarlet on the face, neck, the front of her chest and… he immediately averted his eyes to her neck, not wanting to know where else she was blushing.

Ishida gulped, looking intently at the bandages and trying with all his will to keep his eyes astray from her half-bared breast (which, _of course_, he hadn´t noticed so far) while feeling his hands sweating like tons. Ishida inhaled deeply, fighting to take a hold on his emotions and moving closer to her ever so slowly and gently, as if approaching to an injured little bird which he didn´t want to scare away. With tremulous fingers, he started to remove the blood-soaked cloth and noticed at the same time he was already sweating and his breathing was labored. He could see the injury now, and it was, as he´d hear Kurosaki say, a very impressive one. Ishida inhaled once again, closing his eyes, and felt himself reign upon his emotions, so that, when he looked at her shoulder again, his hands stopped trembling and his eyes had a flash of concentration that didn´t pass unnoticed by Rukia.

He really was in control now, and by the way he was working on her shoulder and bandages, it looked as if he knew what he was doing.

She relaxed even more under his hands, and even felt something akin to admiration for this guy. He _was _really something, she thought.

So far.

Rukia was going to thank him for his help when a sound at the entrance made them jerk apart, Ishida´s hands withdrawing away from her as if she burned, not noticing that the sudden movement had made her flinch. Both looked up to find the source of the sound… and the only thing they could see was bright orange and a terrible but confusing glare.

"K-Kurosaki!!" she heard Ishida yell, his voice almost chocking. But she couldn´t see him now.

Rukia was lost in the intensity of Ichigo´s amber eyes, now locked on hers; she knew they were trying to tell her something, but she couldn´t place what. He looked hurt, confused, angry and… something else she couldn´t place.

Blushing deeper (if that was even possible) she saw him look down, as if scanning her, and with a fast movement she covered her shoulder, while sheer anger rushed through her body. She wanted to jump at him and kicked him hard for this assault on her intimacy… until his eyes met hers again and she could see a glimpse of pain in them, which confused her even more. But when she was about to speak, he broke eye contact with her and glared at Ishida for a second, who was already standing and looking utterly mortified, with a dark blush on his face, but who still met his eyes stubbornly.

Then without a word, Ichigo strode back towards the exit, his steps resonating furiously against the wooden door.

"Wait!! Kurosaki!!" Ishida went towards him, while a stunned Rukia stayed glued to the floor, her mind reeling in an attempt to understand.

"What in the world was _that_??" she asked to the air, furious… and felt the racing beat of her heart at the memory of those amber orbs, when she heard frantic footsteps coming her way. Although it was painful, she covered her shoulder even more and looked up to see Ishida walking to her, and inclining towards her again, his features plastered in worry. "He´s gone, Kuchiki-san, I´ll look for him and talk to him, but I first wanted to make sure you were okay" he said in a soothing voice that still let his anxiety show.

Rukia nodded "It´s okay, Ishida-san. I´ll be fine. Please go find Ichigo." she felt herself being drawn into that anxiety. The bespectacled man nodded to her and turned around in a sprint, confident to find his friend and leaving her musing on the situation.

She felt so worried about the orange haired moron, but why? Why had Ichigo behaved like this? What had happened to him, through his mind? She felt a little bit uneasy around her chest, whenever she recalled that look on his eyes. She wanted to deny it, but she could easily place herself on Ichigo´s shoes from that point of view. She could clearly see what he had seen, and blushed deeply. But he was wrong, the idiotic moron was wrong at the assumption he most probably had made. There was _nothing _happening between them. And she could prove it.

Then why was her heart trembling as if in fear of his thoughts for her? Why would she _care_?

"Moron" she whispered in the air, clutching at her chest.

---------------------------------

He ran as fast as his legs allowed him, although anyways they seemed to be having a life on their own and just kept on moving. Ichigo comply, lost in thought, replaying over and over again what he had seen.

He could see them… again… her exposed skin, his hands on it, with a barely perceptible shake that anyways he noticed, and he even got a little glimpse of the reddened color on his skin and of glimmering sweat on his brow, as well as a deep pink on her face and neck, and she was looking at him as if… with such tenderness that…

Ichigo shook his head fiercely, which made him stagger and almost fall because of the speed he was running at. He closed his eyes tightly, as if he could erase what he had seen with that action. Rukia was hurt! Damn it!! He scolded himself, recalling the bandages in Ishida´s hands (the one that wasn´t touching her, he recalled), and he knew that his friend was only trying to help her, that it was _his _fault she had been hurt again. He should be thankful to Ishida, right? He smiled a bit, reassuring himself with that thought.

Until his mind replayed Ishida´s hand on her skin, immediately above her partially bared breast. Ichigo growled with the image and clenched his eyes shut even more.

"What am I doing?? Why is this affecting me so much!!??" he yelled at himself, angry for his own actions. Why had he acted that way? For all he cared, they could be already dating. Hell!! He didn´t even care if they were sleeping together! That thought brought some rather disturbing images out of the bottom of his hormonal imagination, and he clenched his teeth even tighter.

"Aaaaaarrgghh!!!" he screamed in frustration at his own mind betraying him, and in a rush of adrenaline, he took a step aside and kicked a tree trunk. His silly action hurt his already harmed leg and made him jump up, frustrated and angry. But at least it had made it stop, his body as well as his raging mind.

He sighed frustrated again and leaned his back against the tree, sliding off into the ground while closing his eyes and trying to reign over his mind and his emotions, his breath labored at fighting to get some needed air. What did this mean? Why was he acting so irrational? Is not that he didn´t do it from time to time, but over a girl? True, he had acknowledged Rukia was quite an attractive female, and he wasn´t made of wood at all, besides his hormones didn´t help that much. But he barely knew her! Okay, true, he owed a whole bunch to her, and admired her because of the bravery she had shown him, the way she had influenced his life and for the fire in the amethyst color of her stare, the one he could always see whenever their eyes met.

"Shit!" he punched the ground, frustrated at this confusing train of thought, but at least this time didn´t hurt that much. He stayed there for some minutes, in complete silence, when he looked up and inhaled deeply. Only to finally see were his legs had brought him.

He rose from the place he was in and, with a determined look, he strode forward, his eyes never leaving his point of destination.

----------------------------------------

A clank was echoed all around the solitary garden on the Sereitei, close to the Academy, as an Asauchi hit hard a big stone that was protruding from the ground.

"Ouch!"

"Uh… sorry Momo." Renji said apologetically, a bit concerned for his friend.

"Moron!" he heard a male voice calling him out from behind. "You know you shouldn´t use your full strength on her! If you want to fight, fight me!" Kira told his friend, a bit playfully and a bit warningly. He didn´t want to hurt his friend´s feelings, but he couldn´t allow Momo to be hurt either.

"Umh, sorry Momo." Renji said again, rubbing his neck and this time in a sheepish tone.

"What?! What do you mean Kira?? You say that I can´t take Renji in his full strength!?" both of the guys looked at her intently and a little bit teasingly. "Well you _are_ wrong!!! I can take him whenever I want!"

Renji scoffed. "Suuure you can." He snickered, a smirk playing on his features. She flushed out of anger and sent a kick towards him, which he stopped easily. "Be careful little girl, you can hurt yourself if you actually kick me!" and with that, he and Kira broke into laughter, making her see everything red out of fury, but then a thought hit her and she smirked evilly at her friend.

"No Renji, you´re right." She crossed her arms in front of her and looked down at them as if she was looking from a very high place. "I can´t fight you now that you´re distracted by Rukia´s health. I understand I could hurt you even more" She knew it was a low hit, but he deserved it.

Renji stopped his laughter and looked at her angrily. "Don´t bring Rukia into this" he said threateningly. Momo laughed. She always drew that reaction out of him whenever she talked about Rukia, and especially now that she was injured and he couldn´t go see her. She didn´t mind the girl, she didn´t even know her, but it amused her that she had a weapon to use against her cocky friend and that could actually work. Momo hoped Rukia didn´t mind. If she ever found out.

Kira sighed, already used to this type of bickering, and placed a hand on Renji´s shoulders, and glared at the girl. "Don´t pay attention to her. I´m sure Rukia´s fine."

"I don´t know Kira." Answered Renji, his shoulders slumping, which made Momo feel a little bit guilty. "If she´s alright, then why isn´t she coming to the Academy? She could fail all the exams and that would mean she would be kicked out of the Sereitei! And if that happens to her, I would immediately follow, for sure, but…" he looked around longingly at the trees that surrounded them. He already loved the place. "But I don´t want to leave." He sighed the last words, and Kira looked at him sadly. His friend was so much in love with this girl. Momo and him knew this since almost the very moment they started practicing together, but it always pained him a bit to see the all-too-proud Abarai Renji have that painful look on his eyes. And Kira had to accept, he sometimes felt a little bit of envy as well. He wanted to feel that type of love for a girl

"I don´t know, but I´m sure she…" he couldn´t finish the sentence, for they heard a rustle in the bushes and the three friends took a stand of guard, ready in case a hollow was lurking around them. But suddenly something even less expected than that appeared before their eyes.

This was a boy, almost their age, and his height was one between Renji and Kira, but what stood out above any of his features was his terribly bright orange hair. The boy had jumped apparently from one of the threes and landed a few feet from Renji, and now was looking intently at him.

"Abarai Renji?" the orange-haired boy asked the red-haired one.

The addressed young man stood firm in all his height and looked down to the other, glaring menacingly. "Who´s asking?"

"K-Kurosaki Ichigo-kun?"

Renji turned his head towards Momo and opened his eyes wide. "Kurosaki…?" he then turned to see the boy, inspecting him. He knew that name all too well.

"M-Momo-san?" Ichigo opened his eyes as well.

"Yes, Ichigo-kun! One and the same!" the girl chirped. "I´m so happy to see you!!" she started jumping up when she suddenly stood serious, as a thought crossed her mind. "What are you doing here? Did something wrong happen to Toshirou? Or you just came to visit us?" she asked a bit happily and a bit concerned as well.

"Wait!" Renji said, raising a hand towards his friend, effectively preventing Momo from starting a chat. "Do you mean your dad is Kurosaki-taicho?" Ichigo nodded. "The one who´s keeping Rukia prisoner?" a vein throbbed on Ichigo´s temple at that statement.

"My father is _not_ keeping her prisoner! She´s injured! So she´s recovering with us!"

Renji snickered at the boy. "Whatever. The point is she can´t get out of that place and thus she´ll fail her exams. Did you know that, Strawberry head?" Renji didn´t know why but he really didn´t like this guy. In a way he felt that he needed to blame someone for Rukia´s injuries, and blaming this kid turned out to be quite easy.

"Yes. I. Know." He answered slowly and in a seething tone. Ichigo´s eyes burned in anger, he felt his face heat up, and was about to jump to the moron´s neck, but then remembered the reason why he had come in the first place. Inhaling deeply to keep his temper at bay, he clenched his teeth and bowed to the young man, rage boiling in his blood but determination seeping his entire being. He _had _to do this. For her.

"Uh?" Renji was astonished, "what´s the meaning of this? Oi! Get up!"

"Abarai-senpai." Called Ichigo in a deep tone that didn´t let space for reply. "I came here to ask for your help."

Renji´s brows furrowed a bit more at that statement. "My help? And why would I help you?"

Without moving any other muscle, Ichigo looked up to meet Renji´s eyes, locking them with his and conveying all his determination on one single glare.

"Because the help is not for me, moron." Ichigo smirked. "And because you can´t refuse." The amber eyes dug deep holes in the other boy´s murky crimson ones.

A vein throbbed in Renji´s temple. He _really _didn´t like this guy.

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A/N: YAY!! So Ichigo finally meets Renji!! And what is he going to ask him?? Hope you liked it guys, as much as I enjoyed writing it!! Thank you so much for all your support!


	5. Chapter 5

HADO

A/N: Here you have it! Another chapter!!! And YAY! You have no idea how much I ENJOYED writing it!!!! I´ve also found out that I´m not that bad on the battle settings… and love them even more!! And even MORE IchiRukiness!!! Wohooo!!

Thank you soooo much for all your wonderful comments! Each one of them keep me writing and inspired, so please send me more!!!

And THANK YOU SO MUCH to my wonderful friend Carrie! Without her skilled help and example I wouldn´t be able to keep doing what I love the most. You´re a wonderful friend!!!

HADO.

Chapter 5.

"_Pruebas de lealtad son las heridas del amigo.__"_

_R.L. Stevenson__._

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Renji stood in his place for two full minutes, completely speechless, and no one else around him dared to move, since they all feared his reaction. So he just kept staring at the boy´s wide smirk, without a single movement, and with no one to interrupt him.

"Y-you…" finally he stammered, unsure of what his ears had told him, and a bit flustered at the knowing smile of the guy in front of him that seemed to be getting wider by the minute. "You can´t be asking me _that_…" he still couldn´t find himself saying the words out loud.

This time, the orange-haired teen smiled wickedly, crossing his arms in front of his chest with a gesture of sufficiency.

He was really enjoying this.

Ichigo didn´t know why, but the moment he met this guy that towered over him, he felt the sting of mistrust hitting him hard. His eyes, his hair, his posture, his body language… and, especially, the glint of ownership that hid in the context of his words whenever any of them mentioned Rukia… everything about him made Ichigo want to provoke some pain out of the scarlet-haired boy. As if he was his natural enemy.

"You know I mean it, Abarai-_senpai._" He tilted his head, stressing out the last word, and having way too much fun for his own sake; the red-haired felt his eyebrow twitching at his obvious amusement.

Then Renji started laughing so loudly and so suddenly, that his friends jumped up in surprise. "You´ve just _got_ to be kidding me!! Why would you need my _kido_ notes??!!! You´re not even in the Academy yet!!!"

"How many times do I have to repeat myself, _idiot_?" his smirk grew even wider at the use of the word that was getting so common in between Rukia and him. He basked on this idea, although Ichigo knew he was probably having just too much fun than he should, insulting this big and dumb baboon. But heck! He just couldn´t help it!! "I´ve already told you: they´re not for me! They´re for Rukia!"

Renji scoffed at that. "Sure thing. Like she´ll let _you _teach her."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and sighed, now feeling his temper starting to boil, how could someone be so dense? "No, you dick head, she doesn´t need me to. Contrary of what you are, she´s actually quite smart." He saw an eyebrow twitch, smirked, and then locked eyes with the student. "Well, stop being such a moron and answer the damn question, will you give them to me?"

"Like hell I would!"

"They are for _her_ you dumbass!!" _Now_ he was getting angry. "You want her to be left behind and even expelled from the Academy?? Are you this envious?"

"Of course I don´t want it!! But I´m not giving _my_ notes to any noble shit!"

"B-but… Renji…" Momo stammered, a bit surprised at her flustered friend, while Kira tried as best as he could not to start laughing at the childish outburst from his classmate. "Renji, they´re for…"

"I know whom are they for, Momo!!! But I´m not giving this stupid moron my everyday work!!"

"Oh for heaven´s sake!!" This time Ichigo had had enough of it, and as he felt his blood boiling, he exploded in an outburst against the young man. "You stupid, selfish prick!!!! Don´t you love her???" Renji stood frozen on his spot at that question, eyes growing wide and blood running away from his face. "You have no idea what she´s been through! What she´s doing out of despair!!!" He pointed a menacing finger to the boy. "She needs that help from you!! I´m only taking them to her! Are you so jealous that you want to be the one to train her?? You´re very welcomed to do so!!! But don´t let her stand there in desperation, risking her expulsion from the Academy!!"

This time Ichigo´s anger had exploded like a volcano, already tired for trying to hold it back for this long. "But here you are! Enjoying your selfish shit of life while she stays there all alone and frustrated!! What kind of friend are you? Hell! What kind of _man _are you???" He huffed, still fighting to keep his temper at bay, Renji still glued to his spot, totally speechless. "I don´t know Rukia really well," Ichigo pressed on, "but I´d do _anything _for her!!!" at that thought, his boiling blood felt a little bit warmer, a tad more at ease. He didn´t want to acknowledge the truth of his statement, but allowed a warm feeling wash over him.

"I owe her my life and the life of my sister and friends. For all I´ve done, I always thought I´d die for my people, without a single hesitation. But never the idea of giving my life to others crossed my mind at all! And she gave hers to me!!! _Me_!!!" He was all flustered by now, and started clenching and unclenching his fists, staring at the ground, trying to reign over his emotions, as well as finding the words that could convey the feelings he was experiencing.

And thus make him understand.

Then he stopped suddenly, locked eyes with Renji, almost piercing him with the strength of his stare, and spoke with a voice so deep that made Momo flinch, the unrecognizable tone of it making her weary. "You should know, Abarai Renji, that for this action alone, I would offer her my _life_…" he paused in a halt, realizing at last the true weight of what he had just said: that statement had rendered him cold. Speechless, he gave some steps forward, and forcefully pushed the taller boy by the shoulders, walking past him, but Renji was so astounded by those powerful words, spoken without a single trace of doubt, that he couldn´t react properly.

"Ichigo… R-Renji…" Momo wanted to approach them, but Kira prevented it, placing a hand on her shoulders.

Ichigo gave a few steps away, his back to them, when he heard the cutting of the air close to him, and immediately crunched, avoiding with this a direct kick to his head. "Damn you, moron!! What do you pretend?? To chop off my head???"

Renji shrugged, this time he being the one with the smirk plastered on his face. "I don´t know, that´s not a bad idea at all. But chill out, dude! I just wanted to call out your attention." He slowly unsheathed his asauchi and engraved it onto the ground, his eyes never leaving Ichigo´s amber orbs. "I kind of liked your little speech, you know? You should study something else instead of being a Shinigami! You sure have talent for theatrics!" he chuckled lightly at his own joke, Ichigo´s temper almost ricocheting again. "You actually convinced me to give you what you want. After all, I, too, would do anything for Rukia. But…" his smile grew wider this time, as he crouched, positioning himself in an offensive stance. "You´ll have to earn them."

Ichigo opened his eyes wide, but then gave the guy a devilish smile. "My pleasure, Abarai-senpai." And with that, he crouched as well.

Renji scoffed at the intended insult, and threw the first punch, aiming to Ichigo´s face. The latter moved faster, avoiding it with a smirk that turned out into a grimace when Renji´s knee met his stomach full force. He realized the hit had just been a diversion, since the red-haired boy had used its momentum to take out the orange-haired one by surprise, trying to immobilize him.

But Ichigo was too used to his father´s successful attacks, so, while trying to catch his breath, he kicked Renji´s feet furiously, making him lose his balance and sending him into the ground. Caught by surprise, the taller boy fell to the grass, rolled over and stood in a jump, a few feet away from his enemy.

Or so he thought, since the teen was already too close, launching himself towards his opponent, crashing on the student´s abdomen with the angle of his left shoulder. Renji´s eyes widened as the air forcibly escaped his lungs."

Pay back moments were something Ichigo was used to so well.

But Renji was an experienced fighter too, since he had grown with Rukia in a place where he needed to learn how to survive.

And, even more important, he needed to learn how to protect her.

When they became teens, there had been many occasions when he found himself involved in battle against bigger, older boys, or even many grown ups, especially after Rukia´s spurt into womanhood. He remembered the way his blood had boiled whenever he saw the men´s look of sheer lust and heard the dirty innuendo they threw at her. Although Rukia had always scolded him for that "brute behavior", as she had said, and in spite of knowing that surely most of the times she would´ve been able to defend herself without his help, there was this primal need that prompted him to declare her his (something Rukia never knew, of course) and, as any male who respected himself would do, he knew he just _had to _protect his territory against any offending intruder. It was _his _duty.

So he grabbed Ichigo´s back garment and pulled furiously towards himself, using both of his shins to push the teen´s body forward. The orange-haired boy never knew how he got himself flying backwards and upside down, and felt completely lost when his back hit a nearby tree, falling with his face on the ground.

Grabbing his abused stomach, Renji smirked and stood up, walking towards the young man.

"Is that all you´ve got?" he asked. Ichigo started to rise, trying to catch his breath for the second time, and coughing a little. "Man! I always thought you noble people were pampered, but never in my life had I imagined that you would fight like girls!"

"Hey!" yelled Momo from the bushes she stood besides Kira, both at a loss of what to do.

"Sorry Momo" he answered, his eyes never leaving the spiked-haired form. "Well then… _boy._" He stressed out the last word, venom dripping out of it. "Are you done yet?" an uppercut that almost hit him in the chin was the response he received. He avoided it with a grunt, only to feel a direct punch on the pit of his stomach that doubled him over.

"You must be right, _senpai_." Ichigo scoffed, cleaning the blood from his nose with his sleeve. "I had totally forgotten you´re _not_ a girl!" he snickered at that, placing both hands on his hips in a scolding manner. "My deep and most sincere apologies, but it must´ve been your flashy, pineapple head that made me confused!"

Coughing, Renji glared furiously at the boy. "You´re gonna be _so_ sorry for this, you pussy little brat!" at finishing the sentence, he threw a kick towards Ichigo´s head, which he avoided with a fast movement, and they stood face to face, measuring each other, both ready for the next round.

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Rukia was walking ever so slowly, aware of every single step she took. At that moment, she really was regretting her attack on Ichigo, and at the thought, her brow furrowed a bit.

The idiot had really earned it, that was for sure… but, in spite of that, she was anyways thankful to him. Ichigo was the only one in the family who treated her like an equal, not like he owed her something, nor like she would break easily at any moment, and that simple gesture made her feel thankful.

Still… the idiot had deserved it.

She scoffed at that. Well, it was painful, and getting more so by the minute, but at least she knew her strength was preserved. The petit girl had been worried to no end, thinking that this long time in complete inactivity would weigh over her muscles.

But, had it been worth it, after all? In spite of Ishida´s help (which wasn´t much at all, thanks to Ichigo´s interruption… the idiot), the pain was still holding her down, her shoulder throbbing like mad, and she was weary of each step she took. It felt just like the first day she had recovered consciousness, and it frustrated her immensely.

The young woman sighed, supporting her back in the wall and closing her eyes, a bit angry at herself for allowing such an outburst, when she felt someone´s presence around her. Her eyes opened immediately, and she found Sado towering over her, silent as always, but with an intent look on his dark eyes that made her a bit uncomfortable. How did he get so close to her without making any sound?

"Chad! I.. I mean… Yasutora-san!" she corrected immediately, blushing a bit at her disregard of manners. "What…?"

"No." He stopped her in mid sentence, and she was startled by the depth of his voice. "You can call me Chad if you want to, Kuchiki-san."

She was impressed by that. Rukia had never thought on insulting him, nor treating him so intimately without his prior permission, but Ichigo always talked about this huge boy using his nickname, so that by now, she had gotten too used to it. The name had come out of her lips too easily. "I´m sorry. I really didn´t mean to give you the wrong impression. I can´t call you that way, Yasutora-san, we´re not close to each other this much and…"

"Ichigo calls me this way." He interrupted her again with his deep voice.

She sighed. Didn´t he know they weren´t supposed to be addressed in such a disrespectful way? At least not yet? She knew she trusted him but… it was still too soon for her. "Yes, I know, but I…"

"He trusts you" The dark haired boy pressed on. "He cares about you. So I will too."

She raised an eyebrow at that. "What do you mean? What does he trusting me have to do with anything?" she shook her head lightly. "Besides I think you´re mistaken, he…" Rukia didn´t know what to say, feeling totally lost at the meaning of his words. Then she noticed one thing. The raven haired girl knew that, whenever she felt uncomfortable with any situations, her temper would rise and explode immediately, in a well-trained attempt on protecting herself, but she realized that, for some odd reason, this particular situation didn´t affect her much. Or was it this boy in front of her, the one keeping her cool?

"I owe Ichigo too much." His voice was low this time, staring away from her. "And some time ago I made my decision." Then he locked eyes with her. "I´ll protect with my life whatever he feels the need to protect with his own." His dark chocolate eyes met her amethyst ones, digging in them with the intensity of his emotions. Rukia felt shivers down her spine with that look, and was impressed by the raw determination embedded on them. She felt a sting of awe for this guy in front of her, so she didn´t argue anymore.

"Okay. Chad. Then you can call me Rukia." The raven-haired girl extended her hand towards the tall young man, beaming sincerely at him. "It´s a pleasure to meet you."

That smile had made his blood boil and be frozen all in the same instant, but fortunately for him, Rukia had attributed those seconds of hesitation to his calm and evaluating nature.

Still lost in the odd sensations he was experiencing, Sado tried a smile, but only managed a smirk, while his enormous hand completely enveloped her little one. He felt his chest about to explode at the contact. Fortunately for him, his dark tan prevented Rukia from noticing his pink cheeks… too much.

After the rather awkward handshake, Rukia released him with a nod and started walking towards the opposite way.

"Were are you going?" The deep voice still startled her, but she kept on as nonchalant as she could. She just turned her head to address him.

"Heading to my room, of course. This wound is really hurting now."

Rukia had just finished that sentence and turned to keep walking on her own, when she suddenly noticed her feet leaving the security of the ground, and felt herself almost like flying. After a fraction of a second she was able to relate were she was: strong, huge arms were supporting her, almost completely covering her, and she even felt a pang of fear for the sheer power that emanated from them, until her eyes found dark, peaceful ones, and in that instant, an unexplainable sense of relief washed over her.

"I´ll take you." The moment their eyes met, his sight turned away from hers, but stated it so vehemently that she couldn´t say no.

"O-okay…"

The petit girl couldn´t deny that she felt a little bit relieved by this sudden help. After all, the distance to her room was still considerable, at least with the speed she was capable of gathering at the moment. But still, and in spite of the fact that she felt very grateful for the preferential treatment all the Kurosaki´s (or almost all of them) were professing to her, it unnerved her that everyone in that house felt the urge to help her and protect her every time they could. As if she couldn´t protect herself!

Well, actually, not that she could at the moment, but still…

For some odd reason, in that instant she remembered when Ichigo had enveloped her in his arms, even though it had been for only some few seconds. Okay, the idiot had tried to protect her as well, but she knew he had done it because his father had forced him to. Ichigo knew she didn´t need it, and if it hadn´t been for Isshin, he would´ve left her to be on her own, to fight her own battles. In a sense, she got the feeling that he understood her better than anyone, and felt again that same sting of gratefulness that lingered on the back of her mind whenever he was around.

Rukia closed her eyes, leaning on Sado´s chest, a sigh escaping from her lips in contentment at those thoughts, while he traveled with long strides towards their destiny.

But he had heard her sigh, and, misinterpreting it, noticed faint warmth creeping on his cheeks. He felt utterly happy to have this little, precious body, back on his arms. He didn´t know the reason for the hot chills running down his body, nor he understood the multiple sensations he was getting whenever and wherever her skin touched his, having no experience whatsoever on the feeling, but he welcomed every bit, growing especially thankful with the sense of peace that enveloped him every time she was around.

Although, at the same time, he was getting a bit uneasy by all those sensations.

He noticed that, as the days passed by, her contact was becoming something more and more necessary to him, almost like a drug. And in that moment he was aware of the fact that, as they walked the faintly dark hallways of the Kurosaki manor, he had been silently praying that his strides wouldn't be this long, so that he could feel her in his arms a little bit longer.

--------------------------

"Rukia!! Rukia!!!" Ichigo came into the house running at top speed, almost crashing many times with some servants, who fortunately avoided him on time. "Rukia where are you?? I brought something for you!!! Ruk…!" not being able to react on time, he crashed against some hard wall that suddenly appeared on his path, and felt himself falling backwards, hard on his bottom. "Ouch! Damn!! Who put that stupid wall on the way?" he then noticed the shadow that covered him, and finally looked up "C-Chad? What´s happening? Why are you so serious?"

His friend was standing in front of him, motionless, with some dark tresses covering his eyes, but Ichigo could see the clenching of his jaw, which immediately made him wary. Something had been bothering Sado.

"Hey, Chad, what´s wrong? What´s happening?" the tall boy didn´t answer, but after a moment, Ichigo´s eyes opened up like plates. A realization had hit him.

Sado had been lingering around Rukia too much lately in an overprotective attitude, (in his opinion) so he figured this odd preoccupation must´ve meant something had happened to her, right? He felt himself panicking. "Chad!! Please tell me!! What happened to Rukia?? Is she all r…" he couldn´t finish. Sado had placed his huge palm over Ichigo´s mouth and nose, almost chocking him, while a finger covered his own.

"Shhh!! Ichigo! She´s sleeping!" he screamed in a hushed tone.

Ichigo felt numb with that, at first not understanding, and it took him half a minute to realize that the worry in his friend´s stance had been because he was concerned that Ichigo´s ruckus would wake her up. He opened his eyes wide. Was this a joke? "What the hell are you talking about??" he stood up angrily, removing in a rush his friend´s hand, and tried to pass him from the side and into the room, but Sado blocked his way again. "Chad! It´s me! Let me through!"

"Ichigo?" a faint voice was heard from inside the darkened room.

"Rukia!" Sado finally stepped over and Ichigo scoffed. He really had to talk to him seriously! This crush on the petit girl was really wearing him out! He approached the raven-haired girl fast, and sat next to her, his eyes locked with hers.

"What´s wrong?" she asked, already concerned for the obvious overexcitement Ichigo was showing, when suddenly she opened her eyes wide in horror as he got closer to her. "Ichigo!" She could see them now, injuries all over his face and neck, dirt and grass covering his partially ripped clothes. Rukia covered her mouth with one hand, horrified at what she saw: he looked terrible!! His left eye was swollen and with a sick, purpled color, his hair was all in a ruffle (well, not that she ever saw it in any other hair-style anyways) and all covered in dirt, grass and some blood. She could also see some dirt and dried blood on his face as well, and a few lines of fresh blood that dripped down some cuts on his right temple, as well as from his left ear, nose and a very swollen mouth. "W-What in the world happened to you??"

"Uh?" he stared at her, at first not understanding her concern, but when she reached out to touch with a finger the bleeding mouth, he recoiled from pain. "Oh! That! Well, this was necessary because I earned something for you! Here…Oh shit!" He then realized his hands were empty: he had thrown them into the floor the moment he had crushed on Sado´s body. Without a word, he rushed outside, gathered the books Sado was already picking up, and rushed back to Rukia´s form, presenting her his earnings and with a grin of sufficiency plastered on his face.

"What are… t-they?" the amethyst orbs grew incredibly wide and shiny the moment her sight found the dirty, abused, and worn out books and notes. She immediately recognized Renji´s handling on them, as well as his handwriting… plus some scratching on the cover she, herself, had made some months ago. "T… these a… are…" she was speechless, and Ichigo´s grin became a real smile when he saw in satisfaction the utter surprise pictured on her face. "Ichigo! These are Renji´s notes!!"

"Yes they are!" he felt his face illuminate, and felt, for the first time in a long time, very proud of himself.

"B-but… why are they here? Why do you have them?"

He rolled his eyes. "Duh! You idiot! They are for _you_!"

Completely taken aback, she raised her eyes to him. Amethyst met amber, and he felt fascinated by the depth and blaze in her incredibly wide orbs, alight with the emotions that were weighing on her.

She saw the depth of his eyes as well, and felt overwhelmed by his actions. Had he really done this for _her_? Her chest felt tight at the thought, and she almost had to inhale in an effort, so awed and touched she was by this simple gesture. She lowered her eyes towards the beloved notes, passing a trembling finger through the well-known paste, as some dark tresses covered her features in an effort to hide from Ichigo her now blurring sight, and feeling angry at herself the moment she noticed the emotional tears that threatened to take over. She hated that part of herself, always thinking that tears where for the weak, and felt a rush of anger surge deep down from her, ashamed to know she couldn´t hold them for long. She wanted so much to hit something! Anything would be better than to accept she was about to cry, even if it were out of happiness. Then a realization hit her, and she raised her eyes again to meet his, a frightening question forming on her lips.

"D-did… did he do this to you?" she signaled the bleeding bruises.

"Uh?" He blushed a bit, now caught by surprise. "Yeah well, he caught me off guard, you know? But he´s not that strong. I just tripped over and hurt myself, that´s all."

Her eyes closed in small slits. "You mean you left him even _worse_??"

He raised an eyebrow, his frown returning at her tone. What was happening? "Well… yes of course! He didn´t want to hand them over!" He knew it was a lie, but he would never accept otherwise. Not in front of her, at least. He was taken off of his reverie with a very painful slap in his arm. "Hey! What was that for??"

"For hurting my friend, you moron!!" Her eyes were ablaze with anger, digging holes into his.

"What??? _He_ wasthe one who didn´t want to help you, not me!! I did this for _you_, ungrateful midget!!" he spat at her, infuriated and his face already red for the total outrage he felt.

"Idiot! _Nobody _asked this from you! I never asked for your help!!" they were staring down at each other now, temper rising fast.

"Yeah well!! For your knowledge, I actually did it for myself!! I want _you _to teach me kido! And you just can´t refuse, now can you?"

"Oh yeah?? And what makes you think I´ll say yes!?" they were yelling now, with Sado wearing a very large sweat drop on his head, completely forgotten by his friends, so he walked out of the room as silently as he could, running away from their childish bickering; neither of them noticed some lights in the house that were turning on by their loud interaction.

"Because if you don´t, I´ll make sure you don´t get anything to eat for days, and that will make you even _shorter!!!_ AAAGGggghh!!!!_"_

He didn´t know how it happened, but he suddenly found a very infuriated midget furiously attached to his left arm, her sharp teeth digging red marks on his flesh. He pushed as hard as he could on her temple, but as gentle as he could as well, given that it hurt quite a bunch any movement she made… and, in spite of him, he was still too conscious on her tender, re-opened wounds, and didn´t want to make them even worse.

"Ungrateful _midget_!!!! Let me go!!!" she finally opened her mouth and he immediately jerked back his offended arm. "What the fuck is wrong with you??!!!! I did this for you!!!"

She huffed and turned her head away from him, mustering all the pride she could show, her eyes already shut, "And I told you I never asked that of you!!"

He was growling, a vein throbbing on his temple, and did exactly the same thing she did. They stood there like that, facing away from each other, and refusing to speak to one another for a full minute, until Rukia stole a glance to his face and saw some blood drops running down his cheek. Her eyes softened at that sight, and her chest felt tight when a rush of gratefulness washed over her. She sighed deeply and got out of her bed, careful with her wounds, and heading towards the bathroom.

Only turning his eyes a bit to follow her, Ichigo closed them immediately when he saw her reappear in the door frame, keeping his aloof stance, until he felt a sudden and cold stab of pain on his temple. He opened his eyes immediately and recoiled, suddenly feeling a small but strong hand grabbing him by the collar, keeping him in his place. "What the fuck???" Then he realized the proximity of the young girl, and saw the hand of her injured arm, wearing a slight tremble on it, placed softly on his head and applying gently a dampened cloth on his abused skin.

"Don´t move, idiot!" she ordered him. "This thing you did to yourself will get nasty if we don´t do something to stop it."

In this close proximity, he could smell the perfume of her skin, as well as see how her cheeks were graced by a light blush. He felt his own face like burning. Silence fell over them, and they both wanted to apologize, but found neither of them could utter that particular word.

In spite of that, Rukia realized she actually felt comfortable in the silence that had formed around them. She then knew she didn´t have to thank him. In that moment, she realized he understood.

Ichigo sighed. He didn´t need her words. Her actions spoke for her.

---------------------

A/N: I really hope there wasn´t too much insulting on the idio… the guy´s fight! *sweatdrops* I might be wrong, but I´ve always thought that it´s the way guys interact with each other… especially that pair of hard-headed mimbos! Hit me if I´m wrong!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter as much as I did!! YAY for IchiRukiness!!!!

And… let´s see… I haven´t introduced anyone else, who would be okay to be next? *rubs her chin*

Thank you so much for everyone who´s read my story so far, even though you don´t comment. But I´m asking you… Please! Please!! Leave me a comment!! That could make me get ideas faster!

Have a nice week!!


	6. Chapter 6

HADO

A/N: Thank you SO much for your incredible patience!! You have no idea what it means to me that you´re still keeping up with this story in spite of me neglecting it. But please understand, school comes first. And now that I´m rid of it for a while, I hope I can keep up with you guys!!

And SO sorry for all the grammar mistakes, please take in consideration that it´s not my first language. I´m trying as hard as I can.

Big hugs for you all!!

Oh! Before I forget, Bleach doesn´t belong to me, if it were, it would be full of IchiRukiness!!!

HADO.

Chapter 6.

"_La mente se encuentra en su propio lugar y ahí puede hacer del cielo un infierno y del infierno un cielo.__"_

_John Milton__._

--------

She was happy this morning.

Walking rather hastily, jumping up and down like a child who had just discovered a new candy hidden under her mother´s bed, Inoue Orihime felt like the sun was radiating only for her, bathing her happily with its warm rays.

The reason? It was simple. She had had a dream last night, and oh! What a dream! She blushed at the mere memory of it, of the sensations that evoked in her.

"Oh… Kurosaki-kun!" she giggled.

Well, it was just a dream, she sighed, but it had been _such _a livid dream!! She hugged herself with her free arm while giggling like mad, pink flush gracing her cheeks, ears and neck, and didn´t care people in the street who passed by her side glanced at her in a funny way. Her beautiful, light pink kimono was getting dirty as she walked by, but she felt so happy that she didn´t pay attention to that either. Instead, she kept replaying the same images in her mind, from the memory of that dream as well as the ones she had created herself after waking up, picturing the strawberry-headed boy´s face the moment she arrived to his house with her precious cargo: an exquisite, self-made pancake that she was completely sure he would love. It was, of course, strawberry flavor, with onions and pepper to make it spicy, as well as delicious beans and cranberries placed on top of it all, with just a spoonful of salt… and cinnamon… and cheese. Her grin grew wider imagining (for the umpteenth time) his surprise at realizing that she had made the effort only for him, and maybe, realizing that he loved her too.

Granted, he had never showed much interest in her (which unnerved her a little, given that _all _men seemed interested in her since the very moment she started to blossom into womanhood… and _especially _after they glanced down and took a glimpse to see exactly _how much_ she had grown), although Kurosaki-kun had always been nice to her. No, Kurosaki-kun had _never _taken that glance down, always keeping his eyes fixed on hers, the few moments that he actually turned to talk to her. He was different from the other guys, of that she was certain. And now, he surely would be _hers_. Orihime had convinced herself that the dream she had last night was somewhat an omen, and one of good fortune too.

But no matter how much she loved Kurosaki-kun (she had loved him for quite many years now, since the very first time she met him, both children), nor how such a gentleman he always was around her. Whenever they found themselves alone to talk, an incredibly uncomfortable silence extended in between them. As much as she wanted to talk to him, to bring about interesting conversation (which she had a lot, of course) his responses were always short, to the point, as if he was in discomfort, as if he didn´t know how to be around her. Was he shy? He surely was, she thought to herself.

The girl looked up at the sky. No problem, she giggled, once they got married, she´d cover up for all that he lacked, being one of those the conversational skills. But as for now, she just couldn´t stand the silences that stretched in between them, being that the reason why she was heading towards Ishida-kun´s house, because, whenever he was around, Kurosaki-kun seemed to relax and even be playful, and thus making their evening more entertaining. More bearable.

Orihime sighed.

She did like the lanky, dark haired boy, but he was just… too silent… too serious for her taste. True, whenever she was around, he always made sure that she was well attended; he was always close to her, interested in everything that related to her, always paying attention to her every move, and that flattered her. But, as in love as he was with her (because the girl knew that he was in love, a girl can sense those things), he irremediably lacked that fire that ignited inside Kurosaki-kun´s eyes and that burned deep down in her own body whenever she could bask on those amethyst orbs. She just loved Kurosaki-kun´s eyes.

As well as the rest of him.

She laughed at that idea and jumped a bit higher, her stride a bit longer.

Inoue Orihime was happy this morning.

She giggled again, happy to see that she had arrived at Ishida´s house, and was immediately greeted by the maid of the mansion. After all, the Ishidas might not belong to the noble houses, but they were definitely important and wealthy.

"Are you here to see Ishida-sama, Inoue-san?"

"Yes, ma´am, please, tell him I´m here."

The maiden grinned sweetly at her. "I think it would be better if you visit him in the studio, Inoue-san, and so you can help us take him out of there." Inoue raised a delicate eyebrow at that statement, as the maid went on, a smile and a look of pride on her face. "You see, Ishida-sama spent the night in the studio, just like his father used to do." Then the glow in the maid´s eyes changed into one of worry. "But he´s been there too many hours, and that´s not good, that´s never good. Please Inoue-san, take him out of his enclosure, the young master needs some sun!"

"That´s pretty much the idea!" Orihime chirped and ran past the woman, already knowing the way to the studio, and thinking on what the woman had said. How boring could Ishida become? Many hours in the studio? What about the fun?

"Ishida-kun!!" she screamed while opening the doors full force, making the poor young man jump almost to the ceiling. "I´m here to kidnap you!"

"I-Inoue-san!" the boy stuttered, taken out of his reverie in a very forceful way and trying to recover from the impression it had caused him. "Wha-what are you doing here?" he straightened his eyeglasses.

"I told you!" she took him by the arm across the large desk that separated them, "I´m here to kidnap you to Kurosaki-kun´s house! Let´s get breakfast together! Here!" and she presented her cake to a very astounded Ishida, whose eyes opened wide in plates, a bit with terror in them, at the possibility of having to eat something of her making. It wasn´t that he knew what it was, but coming from her hands (and taking it from the smell of the _thing_) he was sure he didn´t want to give it a try.

"Uh.. umh.. well…" he stammered, then coughed, looking down towards the immense book that laid in front of him, resting in his father´s old desk. "I´m sorry, Inoue-san, but I´ve got lots of things to do, and I don´t have time for a visit."

To say that Orihime was taken aback was an understatement. She was utterly impressed, even scared, at the way he had acted. He had been so… cold, to her. Ishida had never in his life been cold, or indifferent, to her. "B-but… Ishida-kun… we… I…"

"I´m really sorry, Inoue-san. I really can´t." he spoke those words in a low tone, avoiding her eyes. "I have to do this research. It´s of uttermost importance." He then stole a glance towards her, only to retrieve his eyes back to the mountain-like book. "Tell Kurosaki and Kuchiki-san that I´ll go see them as soon as I´m done here." Even if polite, she didn´t fail to notice his stance. He refused to look at her, refused to address her properly, he didn´t speak as passionately as he always used to do, even had refused to… wait… _Kuchiki?? _She lost a beat. Inoue never mentioned the short girl, so why was Ishida bringing her name up?

"Uh… umh, yes, Ishida-kun" she hesitated, "I´ll tell Kurosaki-kun that you´ll meet us in his house." He only nodded.

A minute passed by and she refused to move, still trying to recover from the first impact, then she noticed the pile of books scattered on the ground and all around Ishida, as well as on the desk, and specially the huge book that he now held in his hands.

Orihime inhaled deeply and grinned, trying to recover her composure and trying to draw his attention towards her. "What are you doing, Ishida-kun?"

"I´m doing some research." He never took his eyes from the old pages that seemed to lure him. The slim boy looked possessed in his search for… something.

"A research on what?"

"On hollows." She shivered at those words. She knew hollows well, far too well for her own taste.

Orihime had met a hollow early in her childhood, with that being the reason why his brother wasn´t there with her: he had died fighting to protect her against a hollow that attacked her, receiving a mortal wound minutes before the shinigami arrived to save them. He had died with his head on her lap.

The strawberry-blond girl shook her head trying to get rid of those memories, instead concentrated on the boy in front of her.

"What about hollows? We all know what it is to know" she chirped "that they´re dangerous, strong and very ugly!" she counted with her fingers outstretched and giggled a bit at her intended joke. But the bespectacled boy didn´t seem to notice, and she felt embarrassed and a bit wary of his lack of reaction at her. Why was he acting so indifferent? Was he mad at her? Had she done something wrong?

Finally Ishida stole a glance at the girl– albeit a cold one, that made her jump in surprise- and lowered his eyes again. "I´m looking for a particular treaty. Their bite. But haven´t read anything of the sort, at least nothing related to what´s been happening to Kuchiki-san."

That girl again.

"Everybody seems very concerned about Kuchiki-san´s well being." She couldn´t avoid the hurt in her voice, and hoped the young man was too enthralled in his lecture to notice. Fortunately for her, he didn´t.

"Of course, Inoue-san. She´s a very nice and sweet person that´s struggling so much with her wounds. Why wouldn´t we want to help her? Besides, the Kurosaki´s owe her a big deal, and since I´m befriended with them, it´s also my responsibility to help her."

He had said those words as dispassionate as he could, but Orihime was a girl, and a skilled one too on sensing the other person´s true feelings. His aloof attitude and apparent concentration didn´t prevent his eyes from softening, nor the apparition of a faint pink on his cheeks at the mention of the raven-haired girl. And even if he didn´t notice those subtle changes in a conscious level, the young woman in front of him did.

And that made her lose a beat of her heart. Again. What in the world was going on?

"Yes, of course." She lowered her gaze, recovering from the surprise, feeling a bit sad, and a bit angry. At whom, she still couldn´t place. "Why wouldn´t we…"

Another silent minute stretched upon them, but Ishida barely noticed it, until Orihime sighed and bowed her leave. "I´m going now, Ishida-kun; hope you can meet us there."

The boy grunted what seemed like a goodbye, without making another motion, not even when she closed the door behind her. Then Orihime ran from there, not stopping to wave goodbye to the servants around, not even when she got close to collide with one, already almost in tears. She had felt so… ignored, as if tossed aside. Like something not desired. He had ignored her completely. Why? Ishida had always been too sweet with her! He was in love with her!! What had happened? Just two days ago he had been completely normal, coming to her, to see if she had taken breakfast, and had accompanied her to the Kurosaki´s…

Oh.

Her body stopped in her runaway as if hit by lightning.

He had been normal up until that day. After that, he hadn´t come looking for her, as he usually did. At first she considered this a relief (she was sort of tired of him always being around, sometimes even in a bothersome way), but now that she thought of it, he had only checked on her on the evening, and yesterday, not even that.

Like a bulb turning on suddenly, an idea hit her, making her eyes open wide in terror.

"Kurosaki… kun."

Inoue Orihime started running like she never had, her cake tossed aside in the mud, completely forgotten.

---------------

"Dictator!! Masked of… blood and… the universe and… aaaarghh!!!" Ichigo threw the book in the ground, completely frustrated by it all, when suddenly felt an intense pain in the back of his head, and turned to glare at the most probably perpetrator of the attack. "What was that for, midget??"

The said midget was sending daggers with her eyes towards his direction, a menacing stone playing in her right hand. "First off, for calling me midget! and" she threw the little stone towards his face, which fortunately he avoided this time "for throwing Renji´s book on the ground, you idiot!! You have to be gentle with them!! They´re just borrowed!"

"But it´s sooo annoying!" he whined. "There´s no way this can be memorized!" he threw punches into the air around him, completely lost in a tantrum. Rukia sighed, fighting not to lose her patience as well.

"The fact that _you _are such an idiot doesn´t mean the rest of us are as well!!" a vein throbbed in his temple at her statement. "Besides, it´s not that hard, you just have to relate it to something and you´ll see you´ll never forget the words."

He scoffed. "Yeah, right, like _you _already have them memorized."

It was the time for her own vein to pop. "_Of_ _course_ I have them memorized! Otherwise I wouldn´t be able to make those exams, you moron!"

Ichigo stood his full height and crossed his arms, looking at her defiantly. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." She held his gaze, not amused by his action.

"Prove it, then."

Rukia´s eyes closed like slits at the provocation, and felt close to the point of losing her temper, when suddenly an idea hit her. The young woman smirked evilly. "You want me to prove to you that I know how to use kido?"

"Yeah." His smirk mirrored hers. Or close to it. He failed to notice the mischief hidden in the glint of her amethyst stare.

"Alrighty then. You asked for it." She closed the book in her lap and placed it in the ground, while she made an attempt at standing up, but immediately decided against it. Besides the pain that refused to leave her, today she had woken up feeling rather dizzy and weak. That is, more than usual. On top of all that, she had to add a throbbing and dull ache on her forehead and the back of her head. But Rukia was too proud to admit it, and didn´t want to give herself up. So she stretched and got comfortable, choosing her target.

"Ready?" she called.

He was grinning like mad, completely confident that she was just showing off and getting ready for the rant of laughter, an amused scoff escaping his lips. "Totally."

She stretched out her arms in front of her (the injured one as much as she could) and took a last glimpse at his figure, fighting hard to hold down the scoff that was threatening to form… and that would give her away.

"BAKUDO No. 1!!!"

He didn't register in time the meaning of it.

"RESTRICTION!!"

Until he felt invisible tight ropes surrounding his body completely, preventing him from any movement… and, to her utter enjoyment, making him lose his balance and falling face first on the ground, next to her feet. "Oi!! What was that????"

Needless to say Rukia was laughing rather loudly.

"Oops! I think I might need to study those kido notes a bit more!!" her laughter kept coming like rants, filling the air… and his ears, which were now a rich tone of red. "I think I _just _made a mistake! I got confused with all your flashy hair in front of me!" Ichigo was grunting and panting and cursing rather loudly while he fought against those strong ties that prevented him from chopping her head off. "Here, let me help you." She approached him slowly, and for a moment he didn´t move, waiting for her help.

That is, until he felt something cold just below his nose, tracing patterns along his mustache-line… and watched the forsaken-and-soon-to-be-dead girl laughing like mad, clutching with her wounded hand her stomach, as it ached, and with her (not for long) healthy hand grasping a piece of dark chalk. He now brandished a very ugly and old-fashioned fake mustache.

"Wait ´till I get my hands around your neck, you evil midget!!!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, forcing his muscles to break apart from that very compromising position.

"You… look… rather… handsome… your Excellency!" Rukia tried to speak in between gasps of laughter, failing miserably, while a very angry, (murder angry) Ichigo cleaned his abused face on the grass below him.

"Let me go!! Rukia let me go!!!"

"As if… !!!" she kept on laughing, her back already on the grass, her legs moving up and down, like in spasms, and her arms clutching the stomach and shoulder tightly, aware that the pain was rushing along her wounds too intensely… but the laughter wouldn´t stop, her whole body shrieking, convulsing, as waves of joyous torture ravished her petite form, and which were becoming more intense by the minute, especially whenever she fought to catch her breath and thought it would be over, stealing glances at his struggling figure… only to find herself involved in that spasmodic laughter again, at the mere sight of him.

"P-please… please Ichigo… stop moving like that!! You… you´re so funny!!" her laughter reached levels she hadn´t felt in many years, pleading for her playmate to help her, but enjoying every bit at the same time. Enjoying the so needed release. "Please Ichigo… let it stop!!" but it was to no avail. Every time she started ventilating deeply to calm herself up, she would hear him growling and fighting to release himself from the ties, and would start laughing again, completely lost in the torment, unable (and a bit unwilling) to stop the waves that enveloped her.

Several minutes passed after she could gather some of her strength back and could loosen her stomach an inch (if not her shoulder, which burned like hell), bits of giggling still lingering in her lips, and dared a glance towards the strawberry-headed, who was currently sitting on the ground right in front of her, his legs crossed, displaying a lethal glint on his eyes but with a wide smirk plastered in his features.

He waited until she was finally able to breathe… as normal as possible.

"I´m glad I amuse you."

"Please… please Ichigo." She turned away from him, her face still ablaze in delight, her breathing still labored. "Don´t start… I couldn´t take another attack like the last one."

He scoffed. "Well, at least I know how I can kill you off effectively: I can make you laugh to death." He grinned at her.

She turned this time and met his gaze. "Sure thing. I only need to take a look at you and I´ll start laughing."

There it was. That mischievous glint in her eyes that made his stomach jump as if it were in a circus. It also amused him dearly that she always had a cheeky retort to whatever he threw at her. He had to admit. It was really fun to be around this girl.

He opened his mouth to launch his own counterattack when he heard his name being called from afar.

"Kurosaki-kun!!!"

The addressed young man looked up to find the owner of the voice running towards them, and sighed.

Great. Inoue.

He didn´t mind the girl, but he was quite grateful that she didn´t find him in the previous embarrassing moments. Then in the corner of his eye he saw Rukia struggling to get up, and rushed to help her, offering her a hand which she took without looking at him. And without protest, which was a first for both of them.

"Are you alright?" he asked, happy that she hadn´t rejected his help, as she usually did. He saw her eyes shut tight and noticed how hot her skin felt. But he discarded it as consequence to the laughter attack.

"Yes, thank you" she exhaled, as if relieved… or annoyed. He couldn´t place.

Neither of them noticed the strawberry-blonde stopping dead in her tracks at their exchange. She recovered quickly and approached them with long strides. And fighting to keep a sweet smile on her face.

"Good morning Kurosaki-kun! Are you feeling well, Kuchiki-san?" the tall girl asked happily. Almost too happily, for Rukia´s taste.

The petit girl looked up to meet the other´s eyes. She didn´t know what bugged her about this friend of Ichigo´s, (she´d liked all of his friends so far) but there was something she couldn´t place, that told her to be cautious about this blonde, beautiful young woman.

"Hello, Inoue." His voice took her from her reverie.

"Umh, hello, Inoue-san." She greeted her. "I´m quite all right, just a bit tired, that´s all. Thank you." Ichigo was helping her to sit on the ground, she could feel his eyes completely fixed on her frame… but meeting the other girl´s eyes, Rukia felt intrigued at the astonished expression in Orihime´s face. A look she had seen before, but couldn´t place exactly where.

The tall girl seemed to have made her mind, because after a moment´s pause, she fluttered her eyelashes and approached them, taking Rukia´s free hand to join Ichigo on helping her. "Don´t worry, Kuchiki-san," she soothed her. "I´m sure you´ll be alright soon."

That simple human gesture took the petit one by surprise. What was this girl thinking? She seemed aggressive against her moments ago, that look still bugging her, but now the strawberry-blonde seemed truly interested in her well being. She looked sincere, at least she had _sounded _sincere. Rukia felt even wearier of her.

"So Inoue." He started. "What brings you here?" He sat besides Rukia so naturally, that it disturbed the strawberry-blonde girl a little. Were they _that _comfortable among each other? She felt more terrified the more she spent time with them.

Orihime realized she hadn´t answered and woke up from her reverie with a startle. "Oh! Nothing really, Kurosaki-kun." She graced them with her trademark grin. "I wanted to have breakfast with you, and had made you a cake, but…" her face showed sadness at the memory of exactly where her cake stood now. She had been so happy! And had made that cake with so much effort and love…! But it was to no avail now. She had to be smart this time, she couldn´t lose him! The girl sighed, feeling her determination wash over her, and then recovered her chirpy attitude. "I passed by Ishida´s, but he said he couldn´t come over now." She turned to address the petit girl. "Ishida-kun said that he was doing a research to help you out, Kuchiki-san."

Rukia blushed a bit at that, her eyes growing wide at the idea of him making that much effort for her. After all, he barely knew her. "Really? Oh wow…" she smiled at the other girl, as well as to Ichigo, truly touched by that revelation, which brought memories of everybody else´s attention. "I´m really grateful for all that you´re doing for me, guys; you are such wonderful people." She lowered her gaze, overwhelmed once again by the way all of them seemed to care for her. "I don´t think I deserve that much attention."

"Nonsense, Rukia." Ichigo immediately jumped up. He didn´t like it whenever she felt guilty or not worthy of the way his family and friends were treating her. He understood her, but he didn´t like it anyways. "You did too much for us, it´s only understandable that everybody wants to repay you in some way."

The young woman smiled at him, thankful, but didn´t reply. She knew she didn´t need to. Not with him.

The interchange didn´t pass unnoticed by Orihime, who by now was reaching panic levels, especially at the way he addressed her. They seemed too comfortable around one another, and even at first name basis! The girl almost wanted to either cry or throw up at the sight of them, but fought to keep her stance. This woman, this intruder, would never take Kurosaki-kun away from her! She was making up her mind. If she had to fight her, then so be it!

The three of them started chatting non-important stuff, but Orihime couldn´t hear them, completely lost in thought, most of the time keeping her eyes fixed on Rukia´s fragile frame, analyzing her, and disguising it with true interest. She seemed to be drinking in every word the small girl spoke, even when Orihime didn´t even heard her. Yes, the raven-haired girl wasn´t ugly at all, she had to admit that she was even pretty, but not as pretty as she herself was! And definitely didn´t have the body Orihime had! The girl was so… plain, so simple!! So… what did _everybody _see in her? She had even noticed Sado´s change of attitud, was he trapped like the others? Okay, she had certain appealing, that much she had to accept as well, but Orihime was so much more fun to be around! She didn´t even like the way the girl laughed or giggled, it seemed as if she was pretending, as if it was fake! The more she analyzed her enemy, the least she understood.

And while she was chewing all those thoughts up, suddenly another type of information began to process on her mind.

Orihime noticed the slumped shoulders, the distinct flush in the petit girl´s face, ears and neck, the intense scarlet on her lips, the bits of sweat drops that seemed to pour from her forehead and neck, threatening to fall over her skin. She could see the glassy look on her amethyst orbs, and the chills that seemed to run through her body from time to time and that she pretended to hide. But, especially, she could see the subtle labored breathing that the girl seemed to be fighting so fiercely to disguise with chat and laughter.

Inoue wasn´t skilled at medicine at all, but she _knew_ something was wrong.

"Umh…" she interrupted Rukia´s laughter as Ichigo seemed to be telling a joke to them (or where they bickering?). "Kuchiki-san… are… are you feeling alright?"

Rukia was taken aback by her question. "Y-yes, Inoue-san. Why would you ask?"

"Well… I thought that… you seemed to…" she was hesitant to speak. Did she have the right? Would it be a good idea? Why was she worrying about her enemy now?

"Umh. Now that you mention it, Inoue, I think you´re right." Ichigo placed his hand on Rukia´s forehead and the other against his own, testing her temperature and frowning. To his surprise, she didn´t neither recoil nor rejected him. That was a second one on a single day. If he hadn´t been that concerned about her, he would´ve jumped up in celebration. "Rukia! Your skin is burning!!"

This time the addressed girl reacted, tossing his hand aside and glaring daggers at him. "I said I´m alright, Ichigo!" She was about to start to bicker with him when the other girl´s low voice prevented her from it.

"But Kuchiki-san. You look as if you had some fever." The pain was still there, the tall young woman still clutched her chest for it after seeing him touch the petit girl´s skin. But she mustered all the control she had inside: she had to take the opportunity. "You look tired and as if you could use some rest." Orihime modeled her voice, happy and solicitant. "I´m sure that, after resting a bit, you´re going to feel much better!"

Rukia sighed, feeling defeated. She couldn´t argue with that. "I guess you´re right, Inoue-san. I feel a bit tired after all." She made the motion to stand.

"Do you want me to help you out, Rukia?" he regretted the moment he said it, because Rukia stood up supported by her hand shoved on his face.

"Yes, thank you." Was the cheeky reply, followed by a smirk of sufficiency. "But I _do _forbid you to follow me. I can walk by myself." Rukia then turned to the other woman. "Inoue-san." She bowed a bit her head, with the addressed girl doing the same.

He grunted at that, and watched her walk a few steps away, as the taller girl felt joy enveloping all her being. She was going to be all by herself with her Kurosaki-kun! She could finally confess her love!

But when she was about to talk, she saw him jump, running behind her, and when she looked back, Inoue saw Rukia´s figure stagger, almost falling to the ground, and could see Ichigo reach her, enveloping her in his arms, cradling her in his legs. Orihime ran to meet them.

"Rukia! Rukia what´s wrong?" He was panicking as he felt her skin burning his body. She tried to shove his face off, so close of her he was, but the only thing she got from that movement was he getting a glimpse at her shoulder… letting him see red stains on her clothes, as well as a sick green tone. He didn´t wait for her permission, Ichigo just ripped off the clothes and the bandages at the base of her neck, cursing loudly at the sight of them and ignoring the shriek of pain and surprise coming from her lips.

"Fuck! For heaven´s sake Rukia!! Why didn´t you tell us??" He was in panic now. There it was, in front of his eyes, the opened wound, with just a bit of bleeding on it. But that wasn´t the worst thing. The skin around the wound was completely bright red with stains of dark on it, and in some places he could see an ugly dark brown. And he could see also a viscous liquid coming from the center of it, with a sick greenish color… Oh yeah, he was completely out of his senses.

Rukia tried to remove his hand from her clothes, to hide the shame from him, but he seemed so mad!

"Rukia what happened? Hadn´t Ishida helped you out? Didn´t he treat your wounds??" Orihime´s mind screeched to a halt at his words. What? Ishida had…?

"No…" the petit girl inhaled deeply, trying to keep her temper at bay at the memory of it… as well as her consciousness. "You interrupted us, remember? You moron, he ran after you, the moment you disappeared." Then she opened her eyes wide, catching a glimpse at the other girl´s expression. That look of utter astonishment and utter pain that she had seen before. Now she remembered exactly where: it had been Ichigo´s look that very day when he found them in the kitchen floor. She turned her gaze towards his transfixed, terrified one, and tried to ask, but didn´t dare to. Besides, she was feeling so tired…

He paled at her words. So it was his fault? "Fuck. Rukia..." His voice was low, dangerous even. "Why didn´t you tell me?" She averted her eyes from him. From those amber orbs that were searching her amethyst ones, as if accusing her. She couldn´t face him, couldn´t accept that she was afraid. She had been so afraid.

"Tell me why!"

She growled at his insistence, at the feeling of his fingers clenching her skin, and this time locked eyes with him, angry at him for pushing her into confession. "Fine!! I´ll tell you!" she almost screamed. Maybe if she did so, the shame would feel less… "The truth is that I don´t want to stay in here another minute! Okay?! I don´t want to keep on being a nuisance!!" Her eyes watered at the outburst. She had been holding her feelings for so long! "I hate to be so useless! To be so dependent! _Damn_! I hate _so much _to feel so weak!! I don´t want you to look at me like this, with pity!" she was close to tears now, clutching his robes with all the anguish and despair she had been holding so far. "I don´t want you to protect me! I don´t need your protection!!" She lowered her eyes, inhaling deeply, and allowed her raven locks to shield her from his view. "But…" her voice dropped. "But everyone has been so kind to me that… that I didn´t want to tell you this. I was ashamed of those thoughts." She inhaled again, recovering her control. "I am in love with this house, with your family, but…" Then she raised her eyes to find his, as in a plea. "But I want to go home…"

Their faces were so close he could almost touch her nose with the tip of his, but he was lost in her eyes, in the anguish that covered them, and in the plea that formed in the depth of that sight, of that voice… "And if I call the fourth squad members," he finished for her, "you would have to stay longer. Right?" it was painful to speak it out loud. She wanted to leave!

He saw her nod a bit, a faint smile on her lips. She knew she had hurt him, but felt touched to see that he understood her perfectly. She closed her eyes slowly, a sense of relief washing over her as she realized that he understood, that he would do what he could to make her wish come true. Oh, and it felt so nice as well. His body felt so warm, and she felt safe in his arms. She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. "But I don´t want to go now." Her voice was faint, almost like a whisper. "I can stay a bit longer in here… I´m so tired…"

"Damn you, Rukia!! I have to do something!!!" he was completely lost. So he knew she had to go to the fourth, but she wouldn´t allow him to take her there? Damn! "Rukia!!" He clutched her petite body even tighter, as he saw her struggling to stay awake as sleep washed over her, and he started thinking as hard as he could. What should he do? She had pleaded him so vehemently… he knew he couldn´t say no. With those eyes, she had made him swore to help her, even if in a non-spoken agreement. He felt almost to tears at his desperation. What should he do??

"Umh… Kurosaki-kun?"

Oh, Inoue.

He had forgotten completely about her. He turned to look at her as he raised himself from the ground, Rukia´s almost limp body on his arms and headed to his house. "I´m sorry Inoue, but it seems that this meeting is over. I´m sure you understand."

"Umh… I…" she hesitated a bit. He gave her a faint smile and turned to leave, when suddenly felt his sleeve trapped in a tight grasp and turned to see the girl, who had a look of sheer determination plastered on her features. "I think I can help her."

"Uh?"

To say that it had been painful to look at them like that was just an understatement. She had felt her heart breaking, crushing under a very heavy rock, a rock that didn´t allow her to breathe properly… the sight of them so close together, of his anguished eyes locked on hers, was completely unbearable. They seemed… She couldn´t say it, not out loud.

And in that moment Inoue Orihime had taken a resolution. No matter what it cost. She would make sure this girl would stay away from her Kurosaki-kun. Kuchiki Rukia would never take away her happiness.

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A/N: Okay!!

I would REALLY love to kiss you all for reading this far, for staying with me!

Although I enjoyed very much drawing this story, it came as a surprise for me how easily it was to write about Orihime, given that I really don´t like her much. But it had to be done, we need her in the story after all. Also, for those of you that actually like the girl, my most sincere apologies, but this is the way I see her, the real self that I perceive from her. Hope you don´t get too mad at me!

I´ll try to give you a new character next chapter. Guess who will be!!!

Have a nice week!!


	7. Chapter 7

HADO

A/N: Hi there!! I´m SOOOO happy with all your comments! It´s really hard for me to believe that you´re actually liking this story! And even harder to believe HOW FUN it is to write! Even when sometimes is not that easy. I´d love to thank you all for reading this fic, and for commenting, and also I would really want to thank the two people that have helped me a lot on getting this chapter done.

One of them, of course, it´s Carrie. Without her expert advice and constant cheering I would never even start this new adventure. Thank you, you really are the best of friends!

The other one is the sexy Nick (XDDD sorry! I HAD to say that!), because thanks to his advice and guidance, I could finally put my ideas in proper order, therefore was able to move on. Thank you SO much as well!!!

Before I forget! Bleach doesn´t belong to me! Because if it were, it would be full of Ichirukiness!!

Hope you enjoy!!

CHAPTER 7

The small room was rather dark, with a faint light coming from a very dirty window up above one of the walls, the opposite to the door, which made the room look almost like a prison. Almost, since there were also small lamps illuminating the numerous glasses on the desks, all of them arranged in a parallel position each one from the other. Each container had liquid of various colors and level of fulfillment; some of them were bubbling or even blurting vague smoke. Most of them with a strange odor that she couldn´t discern between sweet, bitter… or gross.

In spite of all the things she had seen through her many years of experience, and that some of those would make a tough captain faint, Unohana taicho felt grossed to no end. She didn´t know though, whether it was from the things she was seeing and smelling. Or from the one she was about to meet.

The wise captain moved almost soundlessly, her features plastered in a poker face which didn´t allow any emotion to show; but deep within, she still felt a bit weary of the man that had requested her presence there.

She didn´t like Urahara taicho much, but she would prefer him a thousand times over the one she was supposed to face. Unfortunately, when she addressed the taicho, he had said (with one of his trademark unreadable grins) that he had left the research on her precious sample to his best man.

She didn´t move an inch with those news. She wouldn´t give him the pleasure to see her squirm.

Unohana Retsu didn´t like the said best man. At all.

Granted, he had never tried anything against her, nor against her subordinates (that she was aware of), but his eyes all the time spoke of sickness… the sickness of the mind that sometimes can only be cured by the sight of suffering.

Or blood.

It wasn´t that she thought of him less, but the wise captain knew that, given the proper amount of power, many people would suffer under the hands of this man, something that she would despise in anybody.

"Aaaahh… Unohana taicho." An almost mocking voice came from behind her and she froze, refusing to move. She was afraid any movement would give away that she had been close to jumping. Out of fear or surprise, she didn´t want to admit which one.

"Kurotsuchi fukutaicho." She turned around slowly, finally addressing him. He bowed deeply at her, not before she could see the glint of something dirty in his eyes, caught by the way he had looked at her. As if his mind was replaying all the things he would´ve loved to do to her – if he ever had the opportunity.

That simple thought made her feel dirty inside, but she schooled her features. Once again.

"It´s such a pleasure to see you, Unohana taicho." He slowly straightened in front of her, allowing his eyes to travel up her body, until they met hers. A feeling of desecration washed over her, but the woman clenched her fists to fight the urge to move. "What brings you here at this early hour?"

Keeping her feelings under control, she smiled at him faintly. "I´m sure Urahara taicho has already told you that, Kurotsuchi fukutaicho." She gave him her hardest stare, but he responded with a wider grin. Yes, he knew it, but that wouldn´t stop him from amusing himself. She was able to smile sweetly this time. "So let´s quit with the formalities and let´s go straight to the point. I really have many patients to attend to."

"Ah! Of course, of course taicho. I understand. You´re a very important and busy person." He smiled at her and took a few seconds to pierce her with his unnerving stare.

She didn´t move a muscle.

He smirked at her strength, bowing again. "Please, taicho, follow me, the sample is here." He led her into a corner of the room, full of dirty papers and many small containers, and spoke while they were walking. "I´m still not done with the examination. It´s actually a rare finding, you know? I ran some test on it, but few where positive, and I´d love to explain them to you."

The odor was getting stronger as they approached, something similar to rotten meat, and she started to wonder if there wasn't really a corpse in there. Was he testing her? Wanting to see how much she could endure? But this man should know better than to test the woman in front of him. Or so he was about to learn.

"Aaaahh.. here it is!" his loud voice made her give a slight jump this time, fortunately his back was facing her, so he didn´t notice. At least she hoped as much. "Our little baby! See? You should be proud of it! Just like I am" He was looking at a desk with fake tenderness on his eyes.

She didn´t like the words used, as if the "us" address was like an insult to her, which, in a way, it was. She didn´t reply on this and stared straight at the row of small crystal containers that he was displaying for her: all of them, although in substances of different colors, were labeled with Rukia´s name. "As you can see" he said "I´ve ran ten tests on it, but only the white ones were positive. The rest were of no use and even a waste of sample."

Of the ten bottles, only two were white. She stared at them, lost in the meaning of it, and felt Kurotsuchi´s stare on her frame. So she silently turned and locked eyes with him, waiting for his answer.

After a few seconds, and obviously disappointed at the lack of interest from her part, the man huffed and gave up on theatrics. She really was a tough bone.

"As you can see, Unohana taicho, only two answered, which only means that it´s a type of poison and a very powerful one."

"I´ve realized as much, Kurotsuchi fukutaicho, thank you." Her calm voice didn´t falter a bit, even though she knew he was toying with her. "Anything else you are able to add?"

He eyed her for a second and then humped in irritation. He was losing this battle of wits. Then he smirked. He had always been a resourceful man, so he still had a card up his sleeve.

"As a matter of fact yes, taicho, I do. The last bottle tells me the poison comes from a mutation of first class. That is, it´s the first time that it mutates." He looked at her again, making a dramatic pause, which irritated her even more. "It also tells me that it´s a _provoked _mutation."

This time she couldn´t help it. Her eyes went wide out of surprise at his statement, and her blood went cold and hot at the same time. Cold for the implication and hot at finding a sufficiency smile plastered on his face. He had finally broken through her cold stance.

"What do you mean with it? Do you have proof enough?" she was irritated by him and flustered, but tried to hide it, to keep control of herself as much as she could.

His smile grew wider. She didn´t know why but that simple movement made her even more wary of him. She wanted to leave now.

"Well yes" he said, "this is only a theory, extracted from the findings I just did. But there are some more test I should do on the first place before I can tell for certain."

"Then you should do them right away, shouldn´t you?" She pressed on.

His eyes became slits as he looked intently at her. Retsu fisted her hands. Something was wrong and thousand alarms were triggering on her head the moment he gave two steps towards her.

"Yes, of course I should, but you see, taicho…" he gave another step forward and this time his face was dangerously close to hers, even though he was taller. "The tests I should do are illegal here in Sereitei, therefore only found among the scum of the Rukongai." His voice dropped a note, which made her shiver. "But… if you want to know this so much" he looked intently at her lips and then back to her eyes. Her blood felt cold. "I could find a way to acquire it…" he gave another step and she felt his body brushing hers, his mouth close to her ear, this time whispering. But she refused to move. "I would only need an incentive from your part… if you know what I mean" he chuckled at this, until his lips let go a feral cry, like a wounded animal´s scream, and gave a fast step backwards, crashing against the desk and dropping many of the tiny bottles to the ground.

But he didn´t go too far, since the cause of his pain was holding him in his place: a tight grip, with fingernails embedded on his flesh, and clutching cruelly to his most tender parts.

"Yes, I know _exactly _what you mean, fukutaicho."

His eyes were bulging almost out of their sockets at the pain and surprise, but were covered in terror the moment he turned to look at her face: a devilish smile plastered on her features, nothing like he had ever seen before, and suddenly he screamed as if he would cry his last time: the determined taicho had made a fast and hard pull towards the ground, the flesh of her prey still filling the inside of her nails. He dropped to his knees completely breathless, his eyes forming rivers of tears, and then he let the front of his body slump to the ground, in the most comically position he could muster.

"But you see," she kept on, her face completely collected and almost emotionless, but for a tint of despise in her eyebrows, "I´m sure you can handle that much _without_ my help."

Retsu turned to look at the desk and cursed at the loss of the small bottles. And the only sample she had left. She sighed out of resignation and made up her mind. The time had come to go visit the young Kuchiki, after all.

She walked towards the door, stepping over a whimpering and nearly breathless remnant of a man.

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Karin´s head popped from around the corner of the house, and was immediately followed by Orihime´s, (which the raven-haired girl didn´t appreciate much) both searching for signs of movement. After a few seconds, Karin turned her head and gave the thumbs up to the people behind her, then ran in a sprint towards the next corner. Orihime followed suit, and right behind them a very concerned strawberry-head, holding in his arms a skin-burning petit girl, who by now seemed almost asleep. His anxiety had dropped down a few degrees when he saw Rukia closing her eyes and felt her chest´s deep and steady breathing, as if falling in a light slumber, with her healthy hand still clenching the front of his robes. He couldn´t help but feel cheeky about the idea of her trusting him enough to fall asleep in his arms, even in moments like this. Then again, it could be because she was feeling really bad. He shook his head, trying to discard the idea the moment he felt his frown deepening.

"Ufff!!!"

"AArgh!! You moron!!"

He had been so deep in his thoughts that didn´t realize the "troops" in front of him had suddenly stopped close to a corner, so he almost ran over his sister, and had his feet stamped on her small one.

"It wasn´t my fault!! You didn´t warn me!!"

"You´re _supposed _to be looking in front of you _and _behind! You stupid man!!"

"G-guys…." They were already bickering loudly, and Orihime was shaking her hands in front of the siblings, trying to no avail to calm them.

"AArrgh!!"

That is, until certain raven haired demon, without opening her eyes, pulled rather hard at one of Ichigo´s ear.

"Stop _yelling_ you idiot!!!! My head is throbbing and you´re not making it better!!"

"Let me _go _freaking midget!!! Aouugh!!!" she did let go, but not before pulling even harder and scratching the tender skin with the tip (the sharpest portion) of her fingernails. Ichigo´s earlobe was rather crimson… and he could even feel it pulsing.

"Stop yelling all of you!!" was the scream from behind them before he could utter any response. The throbbing vein from the white-haired boy was so impressively huge they were afraid it would start bleeding, so they all quieted down. "This is supposed to be stealthily!!!" Toshirou cursed on the low and walked past them, checking the corner again.

The two Kurosaki´s eyed each other and followed him, with Orihime right behind the siblings. Rukia just sighed and ignored them, refusing to open her eyes.

They finally made it to Rukia´s room, apparently without being sight, and Ichigo gently laid his precious cargo in the lonely futon of the girl´s room, immediately kneeling beside her and placing his hand on her forehead to check on her temperature.

To his standards, she was getting worse. But the kind gesture wasn´t approved by the petit girl, because she slapped his hand out of her skin. "I´m fine, Ichigo." She still refused to open her eyes, which he didn´t consider a good sign but didn´t push it. Her fever wasn´t really making it easier for her, nor for anybody.

After making sure that nobody had followed them, and after closing the soshi door, Toshirou approached the younger Kurosaki, who had her eyes completely fixed on the lying form.

"Umh… can you tell me why are we doing this?" he whispered, eyeing Rukia as well, without noticing he had startled Karin.

"Orihime is going to heal her" the girl offered in a whisper as well, "but she doesn´t want anyone else to see how she´s going to do it."

"Oh." He remained silent for a few seconds. "And how is she going to do it.?"

Karin huffed, but didn´t answer. She wasn´t sure either, and that didn´t help her own anxiety. She didn´t trust Orihime, but after seeing Rukia´s almost limp figure in Ichigo´s arms (when she had met them walking towards the house), and realizing how the young woman looked, so ill and in pain, Karin didn´t argue with them. She understood her brother, and even complied at accepting anything that could help their dear friend. Anything.

Karin approached the pair, rather hesitant, until Ichigo moved out of the way and allowed her some space. She sat next to Rukia, folding her hands in her lap, but looked down. She hated to see her friend in that state, hate to see her in pain. She had looked so fine the last couple of days! What had happened?

Karin didn´t move, but the moment she felt something rather warm touching her hands she raised her eyes, startled, and met a deep amethyst stare. Rukia had taken the small hands in her healthy one, and the burning skin, plus the look of kindness mixed with suffering underneath, made Karin almost want to cry.

"Rukia-nee…"

Rukia smiled at her nickname, squeezing the little girl´s hands. "It´s okay, Karin, I´ll be alright. Inoue will help me. You won´t have to worry anymore."

"Yes, Karin-chan, I´ll help her." Orihime placed a hand on the little girl´s shoulder, which made her jump slightly, although, to Karin´s utter surprise, her body didn´t recoil nor rejected the gesture. As much as she didn´t like this girl, her primary concern was directed somewhere else. She gave Rukia a squeeze on her hand, which the older girl answered back, as if in agreement, and gave a step behind to allow the tall young woman.

Orihime took Karin´s place beside Rukia and outstretched both her arms. "Are you ready, Kuchiki-san?"

"Yes." The raven haired paused, and then locked eyes with the other girl. "I trust you, Inoue." And with that, Rukia closed her eyes, a bit wary of the dreadful feeling that washed over her, but determined at the decision she had taken. So she fully gave herself to the brunette's skills.

Those last words affected Orihime to no end. They made her hesitate, because her motives were not completely clean, and she knew it. And the girl had said she trusted her? How foolish of her! If she only knew…

Inoue felt her face burning and at the same time felt guilt rise inside of her, but she sighed, then took a glimpse towards Ichigo, a movement that reminded her the reason of her actions. Now she felt like she could go on: those awful feelings were immediately discarded out of her mind, and the young woman just nodded to the petit one. But didn´t utter a response.

"Sōten Kisshun (Twin Heaven Returning Shield)! I reject!"

From both sides of Orihime´s head came out two beams of light, each one taking place on Rukia´s head and feet, immediately expelling an intense yellow light that took an oval form, which enveloped the petit frame completely. Rukia yelped at the warm sensation that traveled along her body, which got even warmer around her shoulder. But it wasn´t a painful sensation at all, so after a few moments, she relaxed under the other girl´s hands.

Ichigo and company had jumped at the sight of the intense lights, and were now holding their breaths, in awe and terror at the same time. It wasn´t something terrifying to see, on the contrary, but the horror came with the ignorance at what it was… and at the sight of the changes on Rukia´s flesh. They could see the black stains in her skin taking an intense crimson color and then turning pink. They could also see how the ripped tissue was making bridges on either side of the wound and then connecting with their counterparts.

The wound looked as if it was sewing itself.

Ichigo´s eyes traveled frantically from Rukia´s shoulder to her face and back, not wanting to miss anything, and looking for any sign of pain or discomfort. But she seemed completely oblivious to what was happening, even her frown, which had been deep since the start of the morning, was relaxed now. His own furrow lessened slightly at the sight of her calm features.

When he turned again to see, the wound had disappeared and in its place only remained a light flush on the exposed skin, very similar to a sunburn.

"Orihime!! You should be on the fourth squad!!"

The yell made them all jump in surprise at the abrupt break of silence, and Ichigo couldn´t help his reaction: he slapped his sister on the head.

"Agh! What was that for!?"

"For scaring us all!" She was about to reply but he ignored her, turning to address Orihime. "But seriously, Inoue, where did you get that power from? We didn´t know of it!"

"I-I…" The said girl blushed furiously under the intense stare of the eyes she loved so much, and stammered a bit, but then recovered. "It was when my brother died. But I didn´t know how to use it back then, so I was of no use."

"Oh…" was Ichigo´s lame response to the unexpected confession.

They all remained silent at the awkward moment that followed, until Rukia spoke, while taking a sitting position. "But she´s right, Inoue! You should be on the fourth squad, you´d be fukutaicho right away! You really cured me completely! I feel fantastic! See?" as a demonstration, she was moving her left arm up and down, completely in awe, clenching her shoulder as if not believing it wasn´t hurting anymore.

"But…" Orihime pouted dramatically. "But I don´t want to be a shinigami. I don´t have the skills and..."

"You´ve got to be kidding!" Rukia interrupted her emphatically. "Inoue, you´re incredible and I´m sure that…"

"Please stop it!!" the girl cried out loud in a very strange outburst, which made the petit girl close to her jump in surprise and froze in place. Orihime had closed her eyes tightly as well as her hands, which were now clenching her hakama. Rukia could almost see her knuckles turning white.

Nobody dared to move for a few seconds, until Rukia reached out for Orihime and placed a reassuring hand to the shaking shoulder. "Sshh… It´s okay, Inoue."

Silence fell over them again, only the laborious breathing of the tall girl could be heard, as she was fighting to reign over her emotions… as well as gathering what little she had left of her pride. There were too many feelings running through her at the moment, and the fear she had faced early in the morning, an emotion that still lingered in the back of her mind, didn´t help in any way.

Finally, it seemed that she was recovering herself, so she breathed in deeply, and spoke in soft whispers. "I… I really don´t want to become a… a…" her voice came faintly, but the raven haired girl didn´t know if it was out of shame or fear. She could still feel the shoulders under her hands trembling slightly.

"It´s alright, Inoue." She kept on reassuring her. "You don´t have to become a shinigami if you don´t want to. Nobody will force you." Rukia took a glance towards Ichigo, hopping to get some help from his part. But saw it was to no avail. The boy´s face was completely at a loss of words. He had never seen that side of his friend, so afraid and frail she looked! And out of nothing!

Rukia sighed and took her attention back to the tall girl, this time massaging her back. "We are all here, Inoue, we are all with you, you shouldn´t worry."

Then the girl made an abrupt movement that made the petit girl jump, feeling her own shoulders grabbed tightly by two hands in an iron grip. "Please, Kuchiki-san! Please promise me you won´t tell anybody about my powers! Please!!"

Rukia had lost her voice at the sudden explosion and all the begging. She had _never _seen someone this desperate! Why was this girl so afraid of shinigami??

Fortunately for her, Karin took one of Orihime´s hands, releasing Rukia from the painful grip. "Don´t worry, Orihime. None of us will tell about your powers."

The brunette turned her watery eyes towards the younger girl. "R-really?"

Karin tried as hard as she could to smile. She was out of words as well, but she couldn´t just stay still and watch somebody else suffering like this. Even if she didn´t understand the reasons behind it all. So this time, it didn´t matter it was Orihime. "Sure we won´t! You can trust us."

Those words seemed to wake the rest of the group, because Ichigo and Toshirou moved at the same time, trying to reassure the girl. It looked as if it was working, because Orihime was smiling again.

After the girl looked rather calm, Rukia´s brain reeled to a stop. "But… now that I´m cured, how are we supposed to hide her powers? How are we going to explain what happened to my injury?" they all looked at her with worried expressions, realization hitting them at the same time. "I mean, Unohana taicho was the last one to see the wound. If we tell her that it just healed, she won´t buy it."

"Well," said Toshirou "we could make one of her subordinates come over and see you first, and then convince _him_ that it was his wonderful taicho the one who healed you" he reasoned.

"But then Unohana taicho would want to come over and check by herself." Was Ichigo´s response.

"Sure she will, but then it would buy us some more time, wouldn´t you think?"

"I think we could play along with that idea," agreed Rukia, "then even get a bit of help from your father and…"

But she was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching the room, accompanied with animated voices. Two voices actually, one male and one female. The male one was almost chirping, impossible to miss, but it was the female one which made their blood turn cold.

It belonged to Unohana taicho.

Many pair of eyes opened wide in terror: they had no time to act! Their secret would be left wide in the open!!!

They knew they couldn´t trick the taicho, and they also knew that Unohana had come specifically to inspect Rukia. But by inspecting her, the taicho would realize something was amiss and then would force them all into confession. And with Kurosaki taicho there… Ichigo instinctively sat next to Rukia, although the latter was more concerned about Orihime´s state. The girl looked utterly horrified. The raven-haired girl didn´t know why, but Orihime was completely against becoming a shinigami. She seemed even terrified by the very idea of it. The raven haired girl couldn´t even imagine the reason why, and even less why it created such anxiety.

But Rukia was a woman of honor. The girl had helped her, so it was her duty to help her back. But how!?

With so many thoughts lining one above the other, Rukia realized that her headache had returned with a vengeance.

---------------------

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A/N: I hope I didn´t overdo it with the boob-… er… Orihime XDXDDDD, and I promise you next time I´ll bring you some new characters, specially one I´m DYING to bring into it!! And now, with Rukia healed, you´ll get more action!! (and, if you guys behave, then who knows, maybe even some Ichiruki action! XDDD) I really hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N.

Thank you SO much to all of you who´ve been supporting me on this new adventure. I never knew it would be this hard to write a multichapter fic, and even less that it would be this much fun!! But everything would be meaningless without your wonderful comments. So thank you very much!!

I would like to thank Carrie for all her support, her suggestion and her "porras"!! she´s always cheering me up to give my best on this. Although I DO know sometimes she´s waay to biased to be true! XD I adore you, bud!!!

I would also like to thank Licemar for her support, as well as her bravery for starting reading about something she has almost no idea of, and doing it for me. Thanks girl!!!

And for all of you Rukia-fans that haven´t watched the manga or the anime, PLEASE GO WATCH THEM!!! They´re sooooo on Rukia!! And yaaaay for Ichirukiness!!!

Before I forget, Bleach doesn´t belong to me, because if it were, it would be full of Ichirukiness!!

Please, enjoy!!!!

HADO CH 8

"Kurosaki-kun! Kurosaki-kun!! What should we do!?" Orihime clung desperately on Ichigo´s sleeve, pulling down like a little girl. "Unohana-taicho is approaching!!"

"And why do you ask _me_??" was the orange-haired boy´s desperate (and rather annoyed) response.

"Yeah!" retorted Rukia, "why do you ask the idiot!?"

"Hey!!"

"Be quiet all of you!!" Karin silenced them all, an uncharacteristic feature in an eleven-year-old girl, to hold such power over older people. Although quite characteristic on the young Kurosaki, to be honest. "I think I´ve got a plan." They all turned to stare at her in astonishment, but Ichigo´s eyes opened wide in terror as he saw his sister approaching them. He sat in front of Rukia, preventing Karin from reaching her.

"No way!! Your plans tend to be killing dangerous!!"

Karin was about to growl a cheeky retort at him, but saw Rukia shoving him off with a hard push that surprised the boy. "Please, Ichigo! I´ve told you not to be an idiot!"

The youngest girl took advantage of that moment and jumped next to Rukia. "Okay, here´s what I´ve got in mind." Addressing Rukia, a glint of mischief passed through her dark eyes, which sent shivers down Ichigo´s and Toshiro´s backs. "First off, we need the two boys to stop them for a moment, to buy us some time."

"Whaat??" was Toshiro´s response, and when he was about to protest, Ichigo took him by the collar and dragged him towards the door. "Stop it, Kurosaki!! Why should I obey her??"

The tall boy sighed, "Because," he answered, as if addressing a very troublesome and silly little boy, "you _really_ don´t want to be around whenever Karin´s plans are on the run."

The white-haired boy blinked in surprise. "Well… that´s quite reasonable." And, without further protest, he allowed himself to be carried around.

Karin sighed, shaking her head as the boys left the room and then turned to address the other girls. "Okay, that´ll do it for a while."

"And what should we do?" Orihime asked.

"Next step, you have to hide." She told the tall girl. "Unohana should never know you were here."

"Okay!" the girl chirped happily and, as if they were playing a very fun game of hide and seek, she started to look for useful places, forgetting the panic outburst she had had a few minutes ago.

Both raven haired girls had a very heavy sweat drop coming from their heads.

Karin sighed for the second time, and turned towards the older girl. "Okay. Rukia-nee, what I need you to do is actually quite simple. I need you to lie down on your bed, pretend that you´re still asleep and let her awake you. And then you´ll jump in surprise at discovering your injury is healed!" she had been explaining her idea and mimicking it at the same time, finishing the explanation with a broad smile of sufficiency. Gosh! She was so smart! She giggled at that idea.

Rukia raised a delicate eyebrow. "I really don´t think that would work, Karin."

"Uh? And why is that?"

"Because I suck at acting."

This time Karin did growl in frustration, running a hand back through her hair and then inhaling deeply, as if trying to catch control.

"Okay. Fine. We can work this out." She looked around, as if seeking a source of inspiration for her plan. She sighed again, until her eyes lit up in emotion, as a new idea hit her. "Got it! Rukia-nee, you should stay here at your futon, and put a face as if you didn´t understand how you could get healed over night because, actually, you _don´t_ understand what happened to you, right?"

Rukia beamed at her. "Yeah! I think I can do that!"

"Great! Then I should rush and hide myself too."

"That won´t work either." Came Orihime´s reply from outside the window.

Karin turned around, surprised at the interruption. "And why would you think that?"

"Because Unohana taicho must´ve seen the other guys coming out of Rukia´s room, so they would be wondering why was she all alone with them."

This time a vein throbbed on Karin´s temple. "You know, Orihime?" she said with her fakest voice. "That hideout is quite _perfect _for you."

"You think??"

"Yeah, totally. So, go hide, girl! Go!" she accompanied her statement with a dismissal movement of her hand.

"Okay!" and Orihime´s head disappeared behind the window.

Another vein throbbed.

"She´s got a point, you know?" Rukia said. "They´re gonna suspect we´re up to something."

Karin sighed for the… she had lost the count already. "Well… what else do you suggest, Rukia-nee?" she had already started massaging her temple.

The young woman smiled, a bit awed at the girl´s imagination… and a bit amused at her short temper too. "I think your idea can actually work out, and if you stay with me, you can support my bad acting, since neither of us have a clue on what has happened."

Karin´s eyes lightened up at that. "Yeah! That´s great! Let´s get ready for the show!" the girl´s outburst took Rukia by surprise, but made her feel happy at the same time, seeing that light on the girl´s face. It was really going to be hard on her to leave this wonderful place.

Outside, the boys had already met with the two taichos, Ichigo trying his best to ignore the suspicious stare his father was sending him.

"And so please, Unohana taicho!" he was close to begging to the wise woman. "Please take Toshiro and me as your apprentices! We want to learn how to cure injuries!!" the white haired boy, although completely against the idea, was nodding desperately, trying to support Ichigo´s words.

And realizing they were failing miserably, judging by both taicho´s disbelieving stares.

"Well, Ichigo-kun" said the woman. "You see…"

"Stop that nonsense, Ichigo." Isshin interrupted his fellow taicho, addressing his son angrily. "You can´t get in the fourth squad! I completely forbid it!" Unoahana sent a warning look towards the man, but he put his most comical face, shrugging at his old friend. "He´s gonna take over my captainship, marry Rukia and give me ten grandchildren!! I´m sure you can understand that, taicho!"

"Whhaaat???" the youngster turned purple red on his face and threw a punch at his father, who avoided it easily. "Take that back, goat chin!!!"

"As if!" they both got entangled in a battle inside the small hallway that led to the dormitory, while the woman and the boy that remained displayed very large sweat drops. Then, Unohana turned to address the boy beside her.

"So, Toshiro-kun. Will you let me pass now?"

The white-haired boy gulped under her stare. "Y-yes, Unohana taicho." And then gave a step backwards in defeat, allowing her passage.

The woman smiled sweetly at the kid and walked past him, entering the brightened room. She saw the two girls facing each other, when suddenly both of them turned to see her and the younger one approached her, almost like chirping, which made the older woman wary. Since when had Kurosaki Karin become a girl of the chirping kind? She always remembered her as a rather gloomy, tomboy girl. What she didn´t know was that the girl wished her sweeter twin was there to help her in that particular situation. Yuzu had always been a lot better than her at acting all merrily.

"Unohana-taicho!"

Karin approached her and took her by the hand, guiding her towards Rukia, who was impressed by the girl´s acting skills. "We´re so happy to see you´re here! Please, taicho! I´m sure you can explain this to us!"

"Explain? Explain what, my child?"

Still chirping, Karin addressed her new playmate. "Rukia-nee, show her!"

The amethyst-eyed girl hesitated for a second, looking at Karin, and the girl opened her eyes wide, pushing her with her glance. So the young woman complied, and slowly started undressing herself, weary of it all. And when she saw the woman´s eyes grew wide like plates, her hesitation grew even more. But Unohana took her hand and replaced it with her own, taking the task of removing the robes from her shoulders. Rukia felt the indistinct rush of blood on her face and neck as the cold air in the room kissed her tender skin. She just couldn´t get used to be undressed like this in front of other people. It was good to know that this would probably be the last time. If she got lucky enough.

The girl felt cold fingers brushing lightly on her skin, and she shivered, but felt relief washing over her the moment she couldn´t register even the slightest pain or discomfort. She really had healed! She should definitely do something for Orihime.

"It´s amazing." The taicho said. "It´s completely healed! Not even a scratch is left!" then turned around to lock eyes with the girl. "Rukia-chan, what did you do? How did you make it possible?"

"I… I..." The young woman hesitated under the weight of her stare, but locked eyes with the taicho as well, knowing that she would be giving them away the moment she turned to see Karin for reassurance. "I don´t know, taicho! I really don´t know how it happened! I…"

But Karin jumped in on her behalf. "We don´t know how it happened, taicho! We came here to wake her up and see if she wanted to take breakfast with us, and when she moved she did it without pain! We were impressed by that, and then she removed her robes and saw that her wound was healed! We all saw that!"

That last statement made Rukia even more embarrassed, but she still stared at the younger girl in awe. Kurosaki Karin _did _know how to act!

"Really?"

"Really!" answered both girls in unison, giving her their best innocent look.

The older woman looked intently at each girl, trying to read them, knowing that they were lying to her, were hiding things from her. But she still couldn´t fathom what, or why. Then again, what could a couple of youngsters do that she couldn´t do in all her power and experience? She decided to give in this time, and let them think that they had convinced her. She would have time enough to ponder about it later on.

"Well, Rukia-chan." She addressed the young woman happily. "Since you´re already healed, it seems you´re free to go home now. That's what you been asking for, right?"

Rukia beamed at her, but lost her smile the moment she saw Karin´s saddened face at the taicho´s statement. And then she saw Ichigo holding a similar, although more miserable face, standing right in front of her, by the door, with a bleeding nose and a stare of utter pain on his eyes. When had he entered the room? Did he hear everything? But her thoughts were stopped by the intensity of his stare. Amethyst met amber, and for a moment they got lost in their own world, forgetting everyone else around them. Neither of them could believe it, even though both of them knew the moment would come. But it was hard to accept it had to be this soon.

The moment of departure had arrived, and now they had to say goodbye to each other. Neither of them felt ready for it.

That look didn´t pass unnoticed by the taicho, nor by the girl next to them, and they shared a knowing glance. "I think I should let you get ready to leave, Rukia. Your brother, Kuchiki Byakuya, is waiting for you."

The name broke the magic, and she blinked many times, meeting the woman´s dark eyes. "Yes taicho, thanks." Then she lowered her eyes towards her hands, waiting for all to leave. And trying to gather her emotions.

While the sound of rustling clothes announced the people leaving her room, she thought of what to say to Ichigo. The Kurosaki´s… she knew she had to thank them, maybe even sending them presents once back at the Kuchiki manor. After all, they had treated her as if she was family, and almost as if they truly loved her. But Ichigo? What would she do with him? She knew presents didn´t mean anything to him, and he had always been the one supporting her the most, protecting her the hardest. Understanding her the best.

He had been her first best friend. If you didn´t count Renji in.

But she knew he had been so much more than that. She knew they shared something more, because he had saved her, risking his life when he saved her from hollow´s jaws. And she had saved him as well. That type of bond definitely had to be a special one. An unbreakable one.

"Rukia." He almost whispered her name but she still jumped in surprise. The young woman had been sure she was all alone in the room.

She didn´t respond, didn´t dare to move a muscle. She was at a loss on what to do.

"I´m happy to know that you´re not hurting anymore." She could hear his smile, and behind it, the pain that threatened to come out. Rukia understood, since she was feeling the same. She closed her eyes shut. What was she supposed to say??

"Thank you."

Oh great. The lamest response she could muster, right? She felt sorry for the boy, since he surely didn´t deserve that. Not knowing why, she felt sorry for herself too.

"You don´t have to…"

"No. Really." She stopped him in midtracks, this time meeting his stare. The depth of his amber orbs startled her, but at the same time gave her the strength to continue. "I really mean it, you idiot."

He smiled at that. They both did.

"Thanks to you and to your family I´ve been very happy all this time. Happier than I´ve been for quite a while now. I owe you that much."

But she couldn´t say all the things that had been bubbling on her head. Not knowing how, in a split second, her sentences where muffled by the feeling of warmth enveloping her. Strong arms surrounded her completely, with such strength that almost made it difficult to breathe. She was at a loss of words. Ichigo´s grip was tight around her petit form, and his breath was sending odd shivers on her neck and down her spine.

"Stupid girl." He whispered close to her ear, into her neck. "It´s me the one who owes you so much."

Her eyes grew wide in surprise as she felt him shivering, close to trembling over her figure. "You saved my life almost at the cost of your own. You taught me how to be a man. Gave me a reason to live. Something to die for."

'No!' she screamed inside her head.

Rukia tried to push him away, fought to protest, to shut down his statements, but his hold on her became tighter, not allowing her even an inch to move. "This family owes you that and a lot more. You know you can come back here whenever you have the need or you´re willing to." He hid his face on her hair. "Rukia, this is your home. For now on, this house is your home… stupid Midget." That last part almost drew tears from her eyes.

It was good that his hold was so strong, because it didn´t allow her to cry out loud at his words. Unfortunately, it didn´t allow her to hold onto him either, something that she felt the need to do, wanted so desperately to do. He had touched her soul very deeply.

Home.

Such a beautiful word.

A warm teardrop found its way down her cheek. Fortunately for her pride, he held onto her for a long time, so he couldn´t see how touched she felt.

Unfortunately for the pride of the person on the other side of the window, who had been listening to the whole conversation.

-------------------------

The room was rather dark in spite of being still early in the evening. The dark clouds that covered the fading sun gave a creepy sensation to the shadows that surrounded him. The handsome man, kneeling in front of a low, mahogany desk, lit a candle next to him, closed his eyes and fought as best as he could to avoid the sigh that threatened to escape him. For the umpteenth time.

Ever since they announced him that she would be coming back home that day, his palms had begun to sweat. Odd, since he wasn´t the nervous kind, he wasn´t even the touchy kind. Or at least, not nowadays.

Kuchiki Byakuya felt his pulse begin to quicken as he noticed the minutes passing by. Each blink was bringing him closer to the moment she would be arriving. And he hated those responses, he hated his body in those instants, because it was giving him away. Because, against everything that he would say, the tough taicho knew it was true: he was nervous about Rukia coming home.

Home.

He opened his eyes and turned his head ever so slowly, as if addressing his surroundings.

'Wonder if she ever felt this place as home' he thought. These white, almost transparent walls, combined with the soshi doors. This wooden floor with no loving person to walk them… to imprint the warmness of the heart. He looked at his desk, full of papers ready to be attended. Work that he always brought to the room he had arranged as his own office at the manor. Boresome work.

How could someone ever feel this place as home? How could she, Rukia, who seemed like a free soul, feel ever like home around him? He doubted so, especially because she had just been adopted by him as his sister.

But he had met someone who did, someone who felt this place like her own. And who made him feel the same way whenever he was around her.

"Hisana…" he whispered the beloved name, as if caressing it. "This is such a painful promise." He closed his eyes, as if, with that gesture, he could hold a real conversation with the person in his mind. "Did you know, my love? Were you aware that it would ache this much to see your features in her face? To see her hands and know that they´re not yours?" He finally gave up and exhaled a heavy sigh, "it feels as if you were punishing me."

He stood motionless for a full minute, completely lost in his thoughts, until he heard the indistinctively sound of clothes brushing against each other. Someone was approaching, and he could easily guess the person was kneeling in front of the soshi, almost translucent doors. He still didn´t move, eerie of the possibility. If it really was her, what would he say? He was glad that the door was facing his back, that way no one could take a glimpse at his features.

"N-nii-sama." The soft, almost scared voice came behind the door.

His heart skipped a beat, and he almost cursed on the low. Well… the sooner the better, so they say.

"Come in."

The doors opened in a hush, and after a moment of silence Byakuya allowed himself to take a glimpse of the one that was requesting his attention. Rukia laid in front of him, kneeling, already in her academy hakama, both hands clenched and knuckles on the floor, supporting part of her weight. Her eyes were cast downwards in a respectful way, but a slight trembling of her back made him wonder if it was out of weariness as well. Was she afraid of him? Then he made the mistake of looking downwards.

He looked at her hands again, such small and beautiful hands that held slim, delicate fingers. He used to love hands like those, used to feel lost in the simple pleasure of caressing them, of bringing them up to his lips, to…

"I´m sorry, nii-sama…" her words were like a slap to his face, bringing him back from the realm of his memories. "I just arrived from Unohana´s office. She still wanted to check on me." Oohh.. that voice, he thought. Sweet voice, although this time with a tint of childlishness. He swallowed hard at hearing her, of the sensations and reactions that the memory of a voice similar to hers provoked on him.

Byakuya clenched his teeth as hard as he could, fighting against his body, and looked away from her.

"I see you´re well now. Must I assume you´ll be living with us again?" He prayed that she couldn't hear the hesitation on his voice.

"Y-yes, nii-sama." Rukia raised her eyes, searching for the man´s, but disappointment clouded her features. He wasn´t even looking at her. He didn´t care about her. Her chest tightened, as the memory of a feeling completely opposite to this one washed over her. She had felt so warm just hours ago, and now…

A heavy silence stretched over them, in which neither of them knew what to do or say to each other.

He wanted to really know how she was. See for himself that she had healed completely (the rumors of her wound had been so horrible!). He wanted to touch her, to hold her, to make her know and to know himself that she was going to be ok. Above all, he wanted to have the physical reassurance that Hisana´s sister, the one he had sworn to protect, was good and well.

And that was exactly what he wasn´t allowed to do.

Clenching his teeth tightly, he decided that this meeting should reach its end.

"Anything else you need to add?" He couldn´t help his voice sounding so cold, but above all, he wanted to hide the concern on his heart.

Unfortunately, those words delivered the wrong message.

Rukia flinched at his tone. Was he mad at her? Was she upsetting him? It unnerved her to feel so vulnerable in front on another human being, and a man, to make things worse. But he emanated such an aura of respect and pride that she just couldn´t ignore. Besides, he was now her brother, wasn´t she supposed to love him? At least care for him? Was she a bad person for not feeling those things? The tightening of her chest at those thoughts seemed like a bad omen.

She gulped before responding. "N-no, nii-sama. There´s…" But she did have something in mind. Only, she didn´t know whether it was wise to voice it. So she swallowed her words, afraid that they would do more harm than good.

He sensed her hesitation and suddenly became concerned for her. It was such an automatic response, to be concerned of someone he cared for. But he had almost forgotten the feeling. When was the last time that it came to him? He was so concerned, that almost let it slip through his well-formed defenses. But he tightened his treacherous muscles just in time, right before they made him turn towards her, fractions of seconds before surrounding her with his arms in a soothing motion. So, after dominating that part of him, he spoke again with his coldest voice.

"What is it?"

This time she did jump, but she clenched her fists and felt her own fingernails digging deep on her skin. She knew it wasn't smart to talk now, but the damage was done, and she just couldn´t let that chance slip away. She knew she would never have the bravery for a next time. And there was this heavy feeling on her breasts, something that would not let her breathe… unless she saw _him._

"Nii-sama," she looked intently at his profile, the only part of his face that she could see, "I… the Kurosaki´s have been too kind to me, they treated me as if I were a part of their family, and I… would love… to…" she couldn't finish the sentence, seeing that, as she spoke, his features became harsher, his posture tightening (if it was even possible).

"Ah, yes." He spoke through greeted teeth. "The Kurosakis." He seemed so furious that Rukia was afraid the whole manor would crash down for the weight of his anger alone, so she held her breath, wishing to become invisible, to disappear below the earth. But when she thought she couldn´t hold any longer, he looked away, making a dismissal movement.

"Don´t worry about it. That will be taken care of."

"Uh?"

Rukia raised a delicate eyebrow, not understanding his claim. Or rather, not wanting to understand. What did that mean? She wondered if he pretended to send flowers or expensive presents of some sort. No! she _had to _go_. _Her face burned again, this time outraged, so she felt brave enough to speak out loud this time.

"But I want to thank them myself!" she saw him turning his head towards her, astonished. She kept on, her heart fluttering in the wave of rage. "I owe them that much!" She was about to continue until she saw his bewildered stare fixed on her. Oh no! In that instant she realized she had crossed the line. She had spoken too much! It wasn´t proper of her! What if he forbade her to meet the Kurosaki´s now?! Rukia could almost hear his thoughts of outrage, and her heart rushed painfully on her chest.

So she immediately lowered her eyes and bowed at him.

"I-I´m sorry, nii-sama." She spoke the words on the low, her heart still fluttering, her fists still clenching, but too wary to move this time.

He was impressed to say the least. What had happened in that room? So much fire in there! So much strength in that outburst! Had she really dared to look at him in the eye and still raise her voice? Her Hisana would have _never _raised her voice in front of him, nor contradicted him.

He raised an eyebrow looking at her bowing, still form, and then turned away, with encountered feelings washing over him. This girl seemed too alive to compare her to her sister, to his wife, who had been always too collected and proper. Too delicate. This girl, he decide, was going to be a tough bone to teach.

In spite of himself, a faint light of pride glowed in his heart. He couldn´t help the corner of his lip moving upwards.

But, the Kurosaki´s? he appreciated Rukia´s sense of loyalty and gratefulness to the ones who had taken care of her. It spoke volumes about her, and he was grateful himself with them (something that, of course, no one would never know of), but he still didn´t want her around the likes of them.

"As I told you, it will be taken care of." He heard the girl´s sigh of resignation and almost smiled at that. "Is that all? You can leave me now."

"Yes, nii-sama."

The defeated tone didn´t pass unnoticed by him, and his chest tightened. He used to have a reaction to that tone, and was starting to hate that his body could remember so perfectly all those reactions, all those sensations. His treacherous body.

He didn´t utter a single word when he heard her leaving as silently as she could. He knew he had hurt her. But it was necessary. She shouldn´t be around him, it was dangerous to both of them.

Byakuya finally allowed a sigh. "Oh, Hisana," he looked at the candle closest to him, watching the dance of the faint flame, "If you could see her, my love, she´s a complete replica of you. As beautiful as you are." He smiled tenderly at remembering her outburst. "And I´m sure that, no matter what, you would be proud of her." He then got up from his position and headed towards bed. It had been a tiresome day.

-----------

The sunlight entered with a vengeance through the open window, as they moved forward, enveloping tenderly the still and graceful figure lying on the lonely futon, warming the petit girl´s body and assaulting her closed eyelids. Rukia moaned indignantly as she stir from sleep. She had been dreaming something nice, although she couldn´t remember what, nor who was in it. She only remembered it was something quite bright. And quite warm.

Outraged, she half opened her eyes, and the sun sent her an intense beam of light, as if greeting her. She felt even worse, realizing such a beautiful day it was today… and she had started it all grumpy and negative. She stretched out her body, yawning on the process, as her eyes tried to adapt to the intense light. It was early actually, not nearly eight, but the position of her room was particularly good to receive the sun being born anew each day. She liked it that way, and had actually fell in love with the room. The light was casting beautiful shadows on the sakura trees that could be easily admired from her window.

With only a light gown on, she removed the soshi door and rested a shoulder on the wall, enjoying the feeling of warmness as the sun bathed the rest of her body, and her eyes had finally adjusted to it. A light breeze passed by, caressing her, and sending to her direction some fallen leaves from the trees below. Too bad it wasn´t still sakura season. In this garden, she thought, they must be beautiful.

"Good morning, Rukia-sama."

The woman startled her, but the girl still turned around to greet her, happy to see someone she had started to appreciate.

"Good morning, Tokiko-san." The woman was an old maiden in the Kuchiki manor, her gray hair and wrinkles spoke of wisdom and kindness, something that Rukia noticed since the beginning. Ever since she had arrived at the manor, Rukia had always been treated respectfully, but also distantly. All the staff treated her in a proper manner, but never allowed her close. And not to speak about the elders! They were always mean to her, if she got the bad luck of finding them whenever she wasn´t with her brother. Tokiko, on the other hand, had always been kind and sweet to her, sometimes she even wondered if she didn´t reminded the woman of a lost granddaughter or something of the kind. Anyways, she appreciated the attention.

"Are you ready for breakfast, Rukia-sama?"

Rukia´s happy voice turned a tune down at the thought of breakfast. Her brother´s orders were to share it with him, and she felt rather uncomfortable this time, especially after yesterday´s explosion. She felt her face burning at the memory of it.

"Thank you but… I´m not hungry." To her utter embarrassment, her stomach answered for her: it started to rumble quite loudly. She had forgotten that, since she had left the Kurosaki manor rather early, she hadn´t had the time to eat dinner the night before.

The elderly woman giggled at that, while the petit girl´s face turned crimson.

"You shouldn´t worry, Rukia-sama. Byakuya-sama is in a reunion early today, so he ordered that you should take breakfast without waiting for him." Her eyes lit a bit at that, but then returned to her depressive stare. "Is something wrong?" the woman asked solicitant.

Rukia sighed. "I am a bad girl, am not I, Tokiko-san?" the woman raised an eyebrow. "For being happy about not having breakfast with my brother." The maiden giggled again, and patted Rukia´s hand reassuringly.

"These matters take some time, my child, don´t you worry." The commentary made Rukia smile a bit, and the woman took her hand gently. "There! That´s better. C´mon, if it´s okay for you, after you finish your breakfast I´d love you to accompany me to Rukongai, to get our supplies. How does that sound?"

Rukia´s eyes this time lightened up in happiness. She adored whenever Tokiko took her out of the manor, for any reason at all, and even more when it was out of the Sereitei.

"Yes! I´ll help you out!"

"No my child" she told her. "Don´t go around saying those things! What´s your brother going to think!" they both shared some glances and started giggling at the same time.

"Alright then!" And with that, the girl rushed to take a bath and get ready for breakfast, and thought how awesome would be to go and get supplies with the twin Kurosaki and that stubborn-headed Ichigo. The thought made her feel sad again, but then her cheeks turned crimson at the memory of him. Of his embrace. She had felt so happy among those siblings, and she wondered when she would be able to see them again. She missed them a lot.

With that thought in mind, the petit girl allowed the warm water to caress her skin.

------------

An hour later, after taking her bath and breakfast, Rukia wore an old kimono, suggested by Tokiko in order to disguise her. Even though Rukia felt it unnecessary, since she would easily pass unnoticed in Rukongai, not for nothing had she grown up in that place.

Rukia felt like in home, although in a much better place, while walking those crowded and dusty streets, with their houses of one floor lined one next to the other, and each one ornamented with a tent displaying goods of different kind. Tokiko and Rukia were searching through all the little tents around the street, which was a much lower district than the one she grew up in. It was district 41th, which meant it was a lot better and safer than the one she use to walk in her childhood.

The raven haired girl was thrilled to feel herself among all those colors, sounds and smells. It brought her a sense of freedom. She happily jumped from tent to tent, watching those robes, smelling that food, touching these toys, apprising that other kimono. It had been almost a month since the last time she had come with Tokiko at this place, and now she realized how much she had missed it. Rukia´s face beamed at the sight of the candies. She loved them so much! And besides, it would be a good opportunity to bring some of those to the maiden´s children at Kuchiki manor. Most of them were young, none above 10 years old, and she loved their happy faces whenever she brought them anything. It was impressive to see them so cheerful with things as simple as toys or candies! In a way, it reminded her of the family she used to have in Rukongai: all stray children, all friends. Her true nakama, since she grew with no family on her own.

The elderly woman smiled tenderly at the girl, watching how happy she was, how her eyes lightened up whenever they were in here, outside the manor. 'Poor girl', she thought 'It must be so tough on her. With all the Kuchiki elders trying to bite on her neck.' And she did know how mean and cruel they could be sometimes. 'And Byakuya-sama is not helping much either.' It still made her sad to see her master turn from a loving husband into that mountain of ice. She knew it must be a façade to cover up his pain. She woke up from her reverie when she watched a boy approaching her stealthily. "Rukia-sama!" The woman recognized the intention from far away, and tried to warn her young master. "Wait!!"

"Uh?" but Rukia had lost a fraction of a second in that response, and the child took advantage of it, fetching the small bag of candies the girl had just bought and made a dash away from her.

"No!! wait!!" and Rukia sprinted towards the kid, running as fast as she could. He was stealing her present to the children! She couldn´t allow that!! In a rush of adrenaline, she felt all her frustration, confusion and anger washing over her, imprinting strength and determination on her stride. She would _not_ lose that bag!

"Rukia-sama! No!!" But she couldn´t hear her anymore, for both the young woman and the child were far away from her reach now.

They were jumping and pushing and dashing along the crowded people in the street, trying as best as they could to avoid crashing against any of them. The kid was fast, Rukia acknowledge that, but she had grown up in a place far more dangerous than this, where the only protection you had against getting caught by any grown up (and maybe dying, or worse…) had been her fast feet and her agility.

"Wait up!! That´s not yours!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Give it back and I´ll give you another bag for yourself!!"

"Sure thing, old hag!!" the boy screamed his response.

'Old hag???' she raised an eyebrow, feeling outraged, and decided that the only thing the kid would get from her, would be something a lot more painful than just candies.

They were now running outside the crowded street and were approaching fast the forest that surrounded Rukongai, and Rukia felt cheerful about it. These trees had been her own, and she knew perfectly well her way through them. With the feeling of liberty on her feet, her stride grew longer, her speed improved.

The kid, who seemed just a couple of inches shorter than her, had been fast, but she was faster now, so she outstretched her hand, brushing the back of his shirt with a smirk of triumph on her face. "Ha!... got you!" but something inside of her, that she knew so well and recognized as her instincts, took over her body, forcing her to jump sideways, just in time to avoid a very dangerous kick directed to her head.

Rukia fell, rolling on the grass, and finally kneeled to recover from the impulse of her running, when she looked up to see a blonde girl facing her, in a rather aggressive stance, and with a smirk of sufficiency plastered on her beautiful features. Rukia blinked. The girl was around her age, very close to her height and also as slim as she herself was. But she was dressed in worn out robes, seemed like not having met a bath in many weeks, and her hair was a cluster of golden bangles wrapped up in dirt. But the most amazing part of her were her eyes. Cerulean orbs met amethyst ones, in an almost threatening stare, and Rukia felt astonished by the strength in them. By the rage that clouded them.

"Hello, Rukia." A rough, yet very feminine voice addressed her, and now the raven haired girl felt her blood boiling in recognition. "Long time no see."

"You!"

The blonde´s smirk grew wider, with an evilly blazing stare on her deep eyes.

----------------------

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A/N: So? What do you think? Hope you enjoyed it!! I really should thank Kubo this time, because this whole week seemed like RUKIA´S week!! I mean, with the manga and anime showing her! Finally!!!

Okay! Hope that many of you know who´s our new secret character!!!

Besides, let me warn you, next chapter we´ll start a very interesting experiment, that I´m pretty sure it´ll be fun to do, but that I really hope you enjoy as well.

So we´ll be meeting next chapter with new characters!!

Oh! And please just be patient!! I know I delay too much on the updates, but I´ve got a lot of work to do, and it´s actually hard to write in english, so please try to understand!!

Okay then!! Let´s meet next chappy!! Have fun!!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Ok, this is an experiment we made, so I´m not saying anything else until you´re done reading. Hope you enjoy!!!

I REALLY don´t own Bleach, if I did, it would be filled with IchiRukiness!!!!

HADO CH 9

"_Cuando un hombre sabe a dónde va, el mundo se aparta para dejarlo pasar."_

_Marden._

* * *

Rukia stayed glued to the ground, her jaw dropped and her eyes widened in disbelief. Amethyst orbs were locked with cerulean ones, and she couldn´t recover her composure while staring at the lean, small figure in front of her.

"Is that...?" She cleared her throat, her fingers twitching in anticipation. "Ellie! Is it you? Is that really you?"

Rukia straightened her pose, relieved and happy to see her old-time friend. That is, until she felt the weight of the blonde's cold stare. She hadn't even acknowledged her words.

Instinct took over before she could contemplate the situation. A cold shill shot up her spine, screaming for her body to move. It was confusing. What was this girl to her? An enemy... or merely an old opponent?

Truthfully, she didn't know which was worse.

Dragging herself to her feet, she warily regarded her opponent while doing her best to watch the small boy in her peripheral vision.

There was no way to know where the next attack would come from or when it would occur.

"Ellie", Rukia said, a bit too soft, a little bit too apprehensively. "I´m glad to know you´re alive." Though she was genuinely happy to reunite with such an old friend, she found herself a little reluctant to show it.

The blonde scoffed, a smirk still playing at her lips. "Funny, you didn't concern yourself with my wellbeing before this." She dropped into a lower stance, a few rogue bangs obstructing her vision.

Rukia's eyes narrowed, taking in the obvious intention in the other woman's stance. Her eerily collected words spoke of unseen rage.

"Well, sorry for that, pal." Was Rukia´s cheeky retort. "Too busy in the Academy, you see? Not much time left for chit-chat." She knew it was mean to say it that way, but her patience wore thin. With the week she had, there was no way that she could accept being scolded for no reason.

Ellie´s demeanor changed in that instant as the slightest hurt crossed her features. "Forgive me. I didn't realize it was so tough livin' the good life of a..." She leapt into the air, spinning to deliver a well-aimed kick. "...wannabe shinigami!"

Rukia grit her teeth at the insult, bowing her head and torso to avoid the kick. Immediately recovering and, with one fluid motion, she shoved off the offending leg, aiming to throw the blonde off balance

'Aahh... finally... some adrenaline release.' Rukia jumped backward instinctively, gripping her shoulder as she moved it in small circles.

The blonde pivoted, recovering her balance in a low crouch. Her eyes darkened as she seemed to assess the situation, figuring the odds. "Go back, Daisuke!" she ordered in a soft voice, straightening to her full height; admittedly, it wasn't very intimidating. "This isn't your fight." The boy snapped to attention at the sound of his name, blinking in surprise. Needless to say, he didn't budge an inch.

Rukia smirked, thrusting a fist into the air to test her strength. She looked in pride at her arm, a rush of warmth passing through her being. Yes, she was ready.

"Get ready, blondey." A wide, evil smile played at her lips as she eyed her opponent.

Her movements seemed to blur as she pushed forward. She appeared before the blonde, aiming a kick straight up toward the chin. Without missing a beat, she pivoted around to deliver a follow-up kick to the abdomen.

Ellie sprang backward, narrowly avoiding both attacks by mere fractions of an inch. She skidded to a halt, kicking up a cloud of dust as she locked eyes with her opponent. Resentment clouded her narrowed, cerulean gaze.

Rukia scoffed at the blonde girl, her eyes ablaze with emotion. She was feeling so alive...

"So, blondey, is this wannabe shinigami doing good so far?" The petite girl snickered, resuming a defensive stance.

It was the blonde´s time to attack.

Ellie grinned, shaking her head at the weak attempt of humor. "I've seen better. Guess you've grown -soft- over the years, Ru-ki-a..." Her voice was mocking as she emphasized each syllable. "What are they teachin' you at that place anyway?" She rushed forward, this time honing in on her upper body strength as she tried to catch the other woman with a stiff right hook.

Rukia's eyebrow twitched. Leaning back, she narrowly avoided a fist that sent the slightest breeze past her cheek.

Not wasting the opportunity, she used the momentum of the punch to her advantage. Grasping the blonde's wrist, she pushed upward, redirecting the force and gaining a valuable opening. She threw out a punch, catching Ellie in the ribs. The attack lacked the strength she intended, but it served its purpose.

Ellie stumbled back, clutching her sides as if the wind had been knocked out of her. Her eyes took on a defensive, feral glint as she held her arm up to block any possibility of a second attack. Coughing, she allowed her shoulders to rise and fall for a few moments as she caught her breath. "You..."

Rukia took a step backwards, allowing her to catch her breath

"Well? Enough already?" Her smirk widened as she taunted the girl, pushing her limits. "I might be a wannabe shinigami, but at least I don't wet the bed. Would you happen to know someone that does?" Her eyes took on a mischievous glint, well aware that it was a low blow. She could barely stifle a giggle, recalling memories that should have been long since buried. It would bound to strike a nerve...

HEY!" The blonde´s face flushed pink with an odd combination of embarrassment and fury. She gritted her teeth and rushed forward, raising her fist as if she would strike. Then, at the last moment, she dropped down to the ground and shot her leg out for a sweep.

"Gah!!" Rukia hadn't seen that coming at all. Her back slammed against the ground with a shuddering impact. Wincing, she rolled over and pushed with stinging palms. "That was low!" She forced herself up, leaping into a hasty kick.

"WELCOME TO RUKONGAI!" The blonde shouted, her voice cracking. "We ARE low." She crossed her arms and blocked the kick, skidding back a few feet.

Rukia shoved off the blocked attempt, regaining her balance with a lowered gaze. A slight growl emanated from her throat. She HAD lived in Rukongai! Obviously, her friend was purposefully provoking her now. With rage clouding her eyes, she rushed forward. Feeling provoked, she pushed off of the other girl's crossed arms and arched her back, sending her other leg forward.

Ellie leaned back on instinct, feeling the breeze of something miss her chin by a mere fraction of an inch. That set her heart ablaze with new rhythm as she darted forward, taking advantage of the lapse between attacks. "Did that strike a nerve, Rukia?" she called out, hastily grasping the material of the other woman's kimono. Using opposing force, she pulled her close while jerking up with her knee and connecting on Rukia´s middle.

The raven-haired girl doubled over, the air ripped from her lungs. Her legs wavered as she stumbled, refusing to fall to her knees. Blindly forcing her tight muscles to move, she rounded on her assailant, her expression mirrored the pain that shot through her body as she dropped down low, thrusting her leg out.

"Not a… chance... mimbo."

Ellie felt something connect with her legs and then the world tilted. Without thinking, she reached back to break her own fall. Pain shot up from her wrists as she made contact with the ground in an awkward position. Cursing to herself, she forced her body up and retreated a few feet.

She growled. "What's your problem, anyway? Why did you show up here after all these years?!"

Rukia straightened, clenching her teeth. The thin line between pain and anger had been lost, leaving her emotions unchecked. "MY problem?! What's YOURS? It's not like you own the freaking place!" She huffed, gasping for air. "Why did you attack me in the first place, shrimp? You started it!"

Ellie´s eyes widened. "Shrimp?! You're smaller than I am! You haven't grown at all since you left!" She huffed, crossing her arms. "Besides, unlike some people, I stuck around to take care of the kids that can't take care of themselves. Ya know... until those greedy bastards from Seireitei come out here, chasin' them for candy."

The throbbing in her temple began to synchronize with the twitching of her eye. "G-Greedy bastards?! Watch who you're talking to!" She was already screaming. "And who asked you to stay around, anyway?! It's not like some little girl can protect them. You haven't grown since you were FIVE!"

Ellie´s face explored new shades of red as she stalked toward the other girl. "What else am I supposed to do?! I saw how things went when you left. I wouldn't do that to them." She jabbed her finger out accusingly. "Not now; not ever."

Rukia felt blood rushing to her face as the accusation struck a nerve, rendering her motionless for a moment. She was right. They HAD left them to fend for themselves, after all.

After swearing to protect them, they had left them as strays. The anger slowly dissipated, leaving her exhausted and close to defeat. ....She really -was- intruding.

She huffed once more, trying to catch a grip on the turmoil of emotions that washed over her.

It was then that the slightest breath of laughter escaped her lips, seemingly out of nowhere. The circumstances melted away as a broad smile pulled at her lips; it was like the best joke ever had just occurred to her. Her body convulsed with the intensity of the simmering amusement. Soon, she was bent over, gripping her stomach to control the laughter that wracked her body

Though confused as to how it originated, she couldn't deny the thrill of such a release.

Ellie blinked, taking a leery step backward. "...the hell's your problem?"

After a few moments, Rukia recovered enough to take a step toward the blonde, pointing at her and still giggling. "I... just called you... shrimp!" She lost it again, striking herself on the knee in an effort to gain control.

One of the ridiculous properties of laughter is that it is highly contagious.

The corners of Ellie's mouth twitched upward as she knit her brows in a struggle to remain serious. "You..." She shook her head, feeling it well up within her. "You..." Her petite frame shook as she gave into the giggles. "Damn it, Rukia!"

Both girls were laughing so hard they couldn´t even talk. Rukia, still shaking with laughter, placed a hand on Ellie's shoulder in an effort to support herself. Without warning, she slipped to the ground, giggling wildly.

Ellie felt tears of laughter sting her eyes. "W-What.... what are we doing?" She shook her head, unable to grasp the situation.

Rukia was at the breaking point, about to resort to begging. "I-I... I don't... know!" She held her sides in an effort to contain her laughter, stifling it. "I think... y-you... you were insulting me and I... I was insulting you back." She giggled, realizing how ridiculous it all sounded. "Do you even... remember why?

Ellie blinked. "Well..." Taking a deep breath, she tried to keep the tickling sensation subdued in her chest. "I... I don't know."

Rukia inhaled deeply many times, fighting the painful urge to release the laughter all over again. She knew her body would not resist it.

"Well... being that the case..." she inhaled deeply once more and raised into a sitting position, facing the blonde, the giggling still dangerously close to the surface. "I suggest we make it even and you tell me how you´re doing. How does that sound?" Her smile was still playful, not all the laughter had dissipated out of her glinting eyes. But she was sincere. She had missed her friend.

"I know we weren´t that close, Ellie." She pressed on. "And I really feel sorry for abandoning you and all the kids. But..." the girl hesitated a bit, memories of all the things she had been through washing over her, a dark cloud involuntarily covering her eyes.

The blonde sank to her knees, sitting opposite the other girl. "Don't apologize."

Surprised by the sudden response, Rukia looked straight into the cerulean orbs and smiled. This time sincerely.

"Thank you." She whispered, a bit uncomfortable at the awkward situation.

Ellie looked down, heaving a wary sigh. "Ya know... I never thought I'd see you again."

"What??" This took Rukia by surprise. "Why? It´s not like we were dead or anything."

The other girl shrugged. "You and that annoying kid just rode off into the sunset. It's not like you bothered to give a reason. I mean, I know we were never that close... but still..."

Rukia blinked, this time confused, raising a delicate eyebrow. "That... annoying..." and then she spoke outloud, finally grasping it. "You mean Renji?"

She scrunched up her face, trying to recall. "Yeah, the scrawny boy you hung out with. That was Renji, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, yes he is..." it was time for Rukia to look away, a heavy pain finding its way on her chest. And she knew it wasn´t for the fight. After some moments, she finally spoke, not daring to meet the girl´s stare.

"We had to... leave... this place." Now her eyes were downcast. She still refused to acknowledge those feelings, especially in front of the girl, but she thought that the blonde deserved at least some sincerity. "It was... too painful to bear. Too hard to forget. We... we tried to hide it on our strength, on our training but..."

A sad smile played on her lips, remembering her dear friend. "Renji did. He´s very strong, and he´s got many friends and has become one of the best students on our year."

Ellie rubbed the back of her head and averted her gaze. "Seriously? The scrawny kid's gonna be a hot shot shinigami, huh? Who knew..." There was a lengthy pause as she stiffened, sensing the girl's discomfort. "Look, I didn't mean to conjure up bad memories. I remember when... they died. I know you were close."

That brought Rukia back from the realms of memories, turning to address the girl and smiling again. "Don´t worry, Ellie, that´s on the past and I already got over it, really. I still believe that being a shinigami is the best thing we could´ve done with our lives. Or at least that´s what I´ve thought so far." Then an idea hit her, impressed that she hadn´t realized earlier. "Hey! Now that I think of it, you´re really very strong!! We should´ve brought you with us on that time!! You should become a shinigami! Like us!! "

Ellie blinked, leaning back. "W-What? No, I... I couldn't... no...."

"Noooooo!!!" the girls heard a terrifying cry, and suddenly Ellie felt her neck enwrapped by tiny and lanky arms that were almost chocking her.

Both girls had let the child, Daisuke, slip to the back of their minds. He had watched their sparring, completely motionless, and listened intently to every word exchanged. His expression had changed as realization hit him. That raven haired girl... the older boys still spoke about her. She was the one that abandoned them and now... now she wanted to take Ellie with her.

Ellie's eyes softened as she gently pried his arms apart. "Hey now..." She pulled him around, slinging an arm over his shoulders. "What's the problem here?"

The kid was already sobbing, his nose all dampened. "P-please Ellie! don´t leave us... Don´t l-leave us!!"

Her brows knit as she studied him, seeing the past repeat itself in the eeriest of manners. "Look..." She pulled him back, giving his shoulders a squeeze. "Hey, look... I'm still here." It was strange. Her rough exterior was shed, replaced with something almost maternal. "No tears."

The kid tried as hard as he could to hide his face on her neck, but the girl, as usual, was too strong for him. He sniffed soundly, eliciting a small chuckle from Rukia. "S-seriously? y-you won´t abandon us?"

Ellie grinned, ruffling his hair. "Have I ever abandoned you before?"

This brought a shining smile on his face, his eyes opening wide, eager, almost proud. "No! You have never! You´re always protecting us! You´re our hero!!" He was close to screaming, and his fists were hard on his sides, as if stressing his words.

She shook her head, eyes rolling to the heavens. "Yeah, somethin' like that..."

Hesitantly, the kid turned to look at Rukia. "B-but…"

Her head tilted as she followed his gaze. "She left a long time ago... to help all of us. You see, we can hardly support ourselves. So, she and her friend went to the city to train for... jobs. That's all."

Rukia blushed fiercely at being addressed with such tenderness, and gripped the grass tightly, trying to ignore the lump that was forming on her throat.

The kid looked intently at Rukia and then back at Ellie, an unbelieving stare on his eyes. "Really?" Ellie saw his eyebrow rising and almost smirked.

"Mhm..." She nodded. "And one day, when she gets a good job, maybe she and her friend can come back here and help fix things up a little. Wouldn't that be cool?"

The boy chirped in happiness, opening his eyes wide with hope flashing on them. "And they would protect us all from the mean guys?" Rukia lowered her gaze at the ground at his question, this time ashamed. That idea had never crossed her mind.

Ellie felt herself grin at his reaction. "Pfft... you don't need them to protect you. You're gonna be a tough guy, right?"

"Yeah!" the boy growled in response, as if hardening his voice, "look Ellie!" and then rolled over his sleeve, showing her what he thought was a very big biceps muscle. "I´m gonna be as strong as you are!!"

She feigned shock, gasping at his muscles. "Whoa! Ya see that, Rukia?"

Rukia broke free of her reverie, feeling the daggers that Ellie was glaring in her direction, willing her to understand. When Rukia looked at the boy and his stance, she immediately grasped it.

"Ooh yeah! Look at that! You´re a very tough guy! I´m sure hollows would be afraid of you!"

The boy opened his eyes wide in surprise and fear at the same time, which made Rukia mirror his expression. Had she said something wrong?

"H-hollows?" the kid turned to look at Ellie, fear ablaze on his dark eyes. "Will you face hollows, Ellie?"

She blinked, somewhat taken aback. "Hollows... well, yeah! If a hollow showed up here, I'd kick 'em in the face!" Her eyes sparked with enthusiasm as she grinned, making a fist.

This time Rukia kicked in. "That´s why she´s gonna become a shinigami." and then locked eyes with the blonde. "Because she wants to protect all of you from hollows, which are stronger than the bad guys at Inuzuri."

The boy opened his eyes wide in surprise at hearing Rukia, then turned around to Ellie for reassurance. "Really??"

Her eyes cut to Rukia and she pursed her lips. "...Maybe someday."

But Rukia didn´t flinch. She didn´t know why she cared, but she knew Ellie had no future if she stayed with the kids. And even worse, the girl was prone to die sooner. "That would be the best thing you could do for them, you know it."

"I can't just leave." Her expression had darkened, leaving her eyes cold and listless.

Rukia forgot all about the kid that was clinging again to Ellie´s neck, watching them talk, and kept her grasp on the blue-sky eyes.

"You wouldn´t be leaving them, Ellie. We did. We didn´t want to return, didn´t feel like we had a home to return to. But you do. And I have seen many students coming back to Rukongai on the resting periods. That´s perfectly allowed..."

"...So, we weren't your home?"

That took Rukia by surprise and, for the second time in a day, felt frozen in her place, completely at a loss of words.

Ellie collected the boy in her arms, moving to stand. "We should head back. We'll need to scavage for food before it gets dark."

The raven-haired girl got up fast, taking the blonde´s arm and then retrieving it back, as if ashamed, as if she had done something insulting. She then sighed, not wanting to meet the other girl´s eyes

Ellie´s eyes burned like blue flames at the touch. "What?"

Rukia inhaled deeply before answering the blonde. "Yes... you were our home but… that time, coming back would bring memories of... too hard to remember." then she looked back at her, fire in her amethyst orbs. "I´m sure you can understand that." Rukia crossed her arms a bit hesitant, but taking the decision of undressing herself in front of this person, this one that she knew so well... and didn´t know at all.

"Ellie… I´m not... we might not be as strong as you are but... it IS nice to have an objective to reach, it´s good to have something to live for. We not only want to protect these children. We want to protect everyone. Or at least the most." She then gave a step backwards. "You don´t have to understand that. But please believe me that we never meant to abandon you. To leave you behind. It just... happened."

The blonde sighed, looking too tired for her years. "...I want to be angry, but it's so hard to hold onto." Her shoulders slumped a little as she adjusted her grip on the child in her arms. "I understand where you're comin' from. It -did- hurt when you left, but time sealed those wounds. I don't care that you didn't want me to come with you; we weren't that close. So, don't feel like you have to make up for it now. I don't have some big future ahead of me, alright? Just go back to your world."

She took a few steps forward. "Just work hard for me, okay?"

Rukia smiled at that. "That I can do. Shrimp."

Her eye twitched. "Rukia," she began in a warning tone. "Careful. I only have so much of this tolerance shit to go around."

The raven haired girl chuckled at that. "Yeah, I do remember that much." then she placed her hands on her hips, the smile never leaving her face. "But if I recall correctly, that didn´t stop me from teasing you, right?" Before the blonde could respond, she extended a hand towards her. "So. Friends?"

She sighed, resigning herself to the fate that lied ahead of her. "Friends." She took her hand and gave it a shake, feeling the weight of the other girl's stare. "You're... not giving up, are you?"

"On teasing you? no way. It´s on my blood." She smirked.

Ellie raised an eyebrow, shaking her head in disbelief. "The other thing."

Rukia chuckled lightly this time. "Of course not. But I´m not giving up on you either. Not now that I´ve found you again, I mean." She spoke the last words without blinking, trying to make her believe the truth in her eyes.

The blonde shifted her weight again, looking uncomfortable. "What you said kinda made sense..."

Rukia was taken aback "Uh? What do you mean?"

Ellie kicked at the dirt as the boy squirmed in her arms and she let him down. "About protecting them and stuff..."

Rukia smiled tenderly at her and then sadly, shifting her weight... as if it would ease the memories and the guilt. "Look. We _did_ run away, not with an idea of protecting and all. But now that we´re there, and after some... things... happening to me, I believe that we both are there for a reason."

She shuffled the little boy´s head, smiling at him as well, but still addressing Ellie.

"And I think the reason is to protect." She then looked at Ellie, amethyst eyes ablaze in determination. "To protect as many as we can."

The blonde stood solid as a statue for a moment, contemplating her words as she watched the child play. "...Come with me."

Rukia hesitated a bit, and then followed the girl two steps behind, still wary of it.

They walked in silence for the better part of the half hour, finally stopping outside a downtrodden shack on the outskirts of Inuzuri. There were tatted, dirtied sheets hung in the openings. Kids played around outside, while others peered out from the darkened windows. Ellie stopped, pointing to the scene playing out before them. "Convince me they don't NEED me here."

Third time. In a day. As she felt her body frozen in place, Rukia had to acknowledge the girl WAS something. Then again, she always knew that.

But the raven haired girl smiled at the challenge, since she already had the answer to that. She turned around to look at Ellie straight into her eyes, rubbing her left, once injured shoulder. "I would show you what I have, if someone hadn´t helped me before." Her eyes lit on fire and emotion as she spoke. "But mere weeks from today I was close to give my life to a bunch of rich kids. I had decided I would die for them. And you know why? Because I didn´t think at the moment whether they deserved to die or not. Whether they were rich or poor. Or if they had lived a good, although short life. I just knew they were kids, and didn´t matter who they were, and what had they done. Not a single kid deserves to die. And if my life is the price it takes to protect them," she turned around and made a sweep motion, addressing every children around them, "ANY of them, I would give it gladly. I would fight to protect them, as many as I can."

Ellie found herself speechless, unable to form coherent words. The color drained from her face.

Rukia smiled, and placed a hand on her friend´s shoulder. "Yes, my thoughts exactly. It was a surprise for me as well. Until I saw myself inside that hollow´s jaws."

She squeezed the girl´s shoulder and turned away to leave. It was already late, she had to return to the manor or she would be in big trouble. And she knew she wasn´t allowed to stay in that place too much. Inuzuri was hers no more, and maybe they saw her as an outsider. She wouldn´t be able to stand those looks on the children´s faces.

Ellie's features twisted in confliction. "W-Wait!"

"Mh?" the petit girl turned half around.

The blonde hesitated, put on the spot suddenly. "...Did you mean it? You think I could do that?"

Ellie glanced over her shoulder. Even with her gone most of the day, the other kids had survived. Some were playing while others were preparing a fire. A few had just run over the hill with the carcass of a dead animal, beaming with triumph. Behind them, a few of the boys around her age looked after the younger ones. She might be what they considered the leader, but she wasn't what held them together anymore. They could rely on their own strengths, for the most part, now. Her chest welled up with pride. They had taken her lessons and the lessons of her peers well.

Rukia tilted her head, and then addressed the children as well. Without the blonde noticing, she gave a step forward, and slapped Ellie on the back, smirking evilly. "Yes, I think they´re ready for their leader to reach higher mountains. Wouldn´t you think?" Then she looked back at her. "And yes, you should feel proud. You have given them a lot more than what anyone could ever give them."

The blonde blinked, lurching forward from the unexpected impact. "Well, I..."

A few of the kids looked up and nudged their friends, finally noticing the return of their leader with a new companion. It was as if they had an audience now, awaiting some kind of announcement.

Rukia gave a step backwards, allowing her some space, "And thank _you_, Ellie. You´ve given me a lot today." She then soothed her back, playfully. "And I mean more than just a back pain."

Ellie returned the smile. "Yeah, you too." She tugged on the loose, ratty material of her clothes, revealing a bruise, and then grinned. "You sure you can find your way back after all these years?" She poked her tongue out, making light of the situation.

Rukia threw one of her shoes at the other girl´s face, and poked her tongue as well. "Yeah, well, maybe some help would work."

The blonde caught it with a fierce smirk, unfazed by the display. "I can walk you back to the market, if you want. Seems like they don't need help with dinner after all." She tossed the shoe back.

Rukia caught it easily in the air, and raised an eyebrow noticing how tightly the blonde was clenching her fist, as if struggling with a thought. Or a decision. She then smirked, understanding her situation and came back to the girl´s level, taking her hand and pulling at her. "Oh, C´mon! Geez! It´s hard to believe you have to be dragged this way! You´re such a baby!" But her lips were graced by a wide smile.

Ellie rolled her eyes, letting herself follow. "I'm not the one that can't find my way out of a paper sack!"

Together, they left the wrenching shack, and after some feet away, Rukia decided to give it a final shot. "So, Ellie," the girl talked as nonchalantly as she could, keeping her eyes fixed ahead of her "what if you accompany me, stay with me, until you do your exams?" she knew that, leaving Ellie with the children would give her enough time to mull it over... and maybe discarding the idea.

The blonde stopped dead in her tracks, blinking to process the statement. "...What?"

"It´s a good idea, you know? This way you can even borrow my notes, and practice a bit." she then turned towards the blonde, flashing a smile. "I can help you with that!"

The blinking continued as she fluttered her eyelashes, seemingly overwhelmed. "W-Wait... what are you talking about? You mean... leave? Like, right now?"

Rukia stopped in front of the girl, trying as hard as she could to transmit all the weight of her amethyst eyes. "What I said back there was no joke. You know you can do it, Ellie. You know it´s the best thing you can do for them and for yourself. Plus, you _know _you´re strong enough. Please, let me help you with that, because you know it´s now or never." She then turned to see the little, crumbling house, behind the blonde´s back

"Or tell me, honestly, that you´ll be able to go and take the exams after you´re back with the little guys." she paused, and inhaled deeply. "You know that, once you´re back into that house again, you´ll find a reason not to."

She felt a strange heaviness in her chest as she stood there, the wind tousling her matted blonde tresses. "I..." She turned back, glancing over her shoulder with fondness in her eyes. "It's so soon..."

Rukia grabbed her shoulders and force the girl to lock eyes with her, determination blazing on her amethyst orbs.

"It´s now or never, Ellie. Please. It´s your best way of protecting them and you know it´s true. Think of it." She shook her a bit by the shoulders. "Not only you would be strong enough, but you would also have some money to ensure the younger ones could eat properly." The girl then straightened to her full height... which didn´t made much difference, and she almost laughed at that. "Renji and I could help you with that. You know we would."

The blonde blinked, temporarily. "You still keep in touch with that brat?"

Rukia tried to hide the hurt in her eyes. "Some." She didn´t want to acknowledge that the separation actually made her chest ache. "We chat from time to time."

She sighed, her shoulders sagging. "I know what you're saying is the truth... but it's..." Her eyes closed as she grimaced, struggling to force herself to act.

Rukia let her go and placed both hands on her hips, trying to stress her words. "I know it´s hard, but it´s harder if you do it slowly."

Ellie let out a deep breath and squared her shoulders. With an abrupt movement, she pivoted on her heel and took quick strides back toward the decrepit shack.

The movement took Rukia by surprise, but recovered quickly, following her closely, in case she needed some support.

"OI! LISTEN UP!" the blonde called out, cupping her mouth as she approached.

Children, literally, came out of the woodwork. Some appeared in the broken windowed gaps, others peered from behind the ragged curtains. A few ran down the hill, and others looked up from the fire.

Ellie clenched and unclenched her fist, taking a deep breath. This was no time to be sentimental. She had only a few moments to leave on a strong front. "I just want to say, that I will be gone for a while..." She spared a look back at Rukia for reinforcement, and found her right behind her, a reassuring smile on her lips. Ellie smiled back, straightened her shoulders and tapped her foot on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dirt. "I'm going..." Her head snapped up, eyes fierce as ever. "I'm going to become a shinigami!"

A stunned silence fell over the ground. Well, all save for Daisuke, who held a painful look on his eyes. He knew this was coming.

"What does that mean?" a little boy, who seemed a tad taller than Daisuke, called out, looking on the verge of panic. "You're going away forever?"

She shook her head. "No, not forever. I'm leaving to become stronger." She held her arm up, squeezing her bicep for emphasis. "I'm going to become strong enough to look out for all of us. I need to go live in Sereitei for a while and save up some money. Think of the things we could do around here!"

One by one, they were swayed by her words. It was like the previous fever that spread like wildfire was being doused in each of their eyes. Minds changed, hearts turned, and idle chatter filled the grounds.

The blonde looked back at Rukia once more, hoping she could add something to help them understand.

The raven haired girl turned red at meeting the cerulean stare, realizing immediately the implications of those looks. "M-me?" she mouthed, then saw the blonde nodding, prompting her with her eyes. Rukia sighed. She had stayed behind because she wanted to respect that moment of union among them. But Ellie was probably right. Her voice would help to reassure the older ones.

However, before she could take a single step forward, a girl, maybe two years younger than Daisuke, cut her off. She ran towards the blonde and possessively clung to her leg.

"Lile-nee!!" the little girl was sobbing rather loudly, calling out Ellie´s name as best as she could, making the older girl´s chest tight at hearing her nickname being called so desperately. "You going? you going away?" The kid rubbed her dampened nose on the blonde´s thigh and shook her head, grasping tightly to Ellie´s ragged robes. "No go, Lile-nee!! stay!! I´ll be good!! Mina will be good!!"

Cerulean eyes searched amethyst for reassurance, but Rukia was so touched by the child´s behavior, that the lump in her throat prevented her from talking, tears threatening to form.

Ellie´s strong mask cracked, leaving her brows knit and her lip trembling. "Mina..." She knelt down in the dirt, holding the girl at arm's length to stare at her in the eye. "I have to go away for a while... but it's not forever. You see... I...." She swallowed hard, looking paler than usual. "I need to help that woman over there." She nodded behind her. "Don't we help people when they need it?"

But the girl cried louder, clenching one of Ellie´s hand, and wiping her tears with it. "Mina needs help." she almost pleaded. "Mina wants Lile-nee to stay! We love you, Lile-nee!!" and, finding a gap on the tall girl´s grasp, the little one buried her face on Ellie´s neck, enveloping her on a tight embrace. As tight as her small arms would allow.

"Ellie... I..." Rukia tried to mutter, but as she moved a foot forward, Daisuke flashed past her and grasped Ellie from behind, holding both girls and crying with them.

The young woman´s shoulders shook as she took deep breaths and lifted her head, a smile plastered on her features. "I love you guys too. You know that..." but her voice was lost, and the blonde clenched her teeth, fighting to regain control.

Rukia watched her friend struggle with both words and emotions. It seemed that, whatever she had intended to tell the children, died unuttered on her lips. Clenching her chest with a deep sigh, she took a decisive step toward the small group.

This was going to be difficult.

* * *

The two young women walked silently through the forest, finally reaching a small hill without trees that allowed them a clear view of the Rukongai, although still many yards from reaching the small houses of district 41st.

Even though they were walking together, ever since they left Inuzuri´s small, wretched houses neither of them spoke, nor looked at each other, each girl´s train of thought lost on its own dimension. And some of them converging on the torn houses, as well as on the small forms they had just left behind.

The two girls were finally allowed to leave after several minutes of cries, promises and even some begging from the children, and a greater set of oaths from the older ones, who, to the girls´ surprise, had supported Ellie´s departure (after getting themselves their share of pledges, of course).

Rukia felt happy that she could take the blonde with her, although felt a little bit guilty as well. The kids needed their leader. But the raven haired girl knew that it was the best course of action. For Ellie´s well being.

Although still there was one issue left. Where would she stay? The meeting day for the exams to the Academy was still two weeks away. What would she do in the meantime? She knew that, if the blonde were to come back to Rukongai, this time she would not left, no matter what she say or do.

Rukia had been pondering over where. She really wanted her to stay together at the Kuchiki manor, but wasn´t sure whether her brother would approve of it. She also pondered at the fact that the Kurosaki boy was practicing to get into the Academy as well, so staying with him would be very good for Ellie´s own preparation. But Rukia already owed them too much, and to make that debt bigger than it already was, wasn´t among her priorities.

The girl sighed quite loudly, almost feeling a headache about to reach her.

"Hope you´re not feeling guilty for what happened back there."

The rough voice brought her back from her reverie with a jump.

"Uh?"

"You know what I mean." The blonde was eyeing her quite suspiciously, and Rukia just chuckled at the concern hidden so fiercely behind her mask of annoyment.

"Thank you for worrying about me, but I wasn´t thinking on that."

"Pffft! Who would worry about you!?" the girl turned away from her, this time clearly annoyed.

Rukia chuckled once more and, without a warning, pushed the girl with one hand. This almost sent Ellie to the ground, and then pierced Rukia fiercely with her eyes.

"What the fuck was that for!?"

"For that stupid joke about my height!"

Both girls were facing each other, fists tight on their sides, but with an amusement look on their eyes.

"Hey! It wasn´t _me_ the one who said it!"

"But you made it even bigger!!"

"Say what?" the blonde smirked, placing both hands on her hips, "it´s not like we were lying or anything!"

Rukia´s eyebrow twitched. "Should I remind you that you´re the same height as me?" before she finished the sentence, Ellie had kicked the ground, sending towards the other girl´s face a small cloud of dust, which made her give a step backwards, surprised. "Hey!!! That was cheap!!"

But the girl merely laughed, and rushed away from her partner, screaming. "I already told you the answer to that!!"

"Oh yeah?" after cleaning the dirt from her face, and with a huge smirk plastered on her lips, Rukia sprang towards her friend. Both girls were laughing and chasing one another, sending some fruit and dust around, in a small and very dirty battle that helped them to release the tension.

But after tackling Ellie, and fighting to get some tickles in the petite form lying on the ground, Rukia stopped suddenly, looked up and remained motionless.

Ellie´s laughter finally reached a halt, catching on that Rukia had stopped tickling her.

"Uh? What´s wrong?"

"Shhh!" the raven haired girl hushed her, and, still looking around, as if searching for something, she got up and helped Ellie to do the same.

"Rukia! What is…?"

But before she could finish, both girls found themselves surrounded by five men, all wearing black hakamas, with a grave expression on their eyes. Rukia could see that, although each blade was sheathed and resting on the men´s waist, the look in their eyes held a murderous intention. 'Oh, no!' Rukia felt the blood on her body falling almost to the ground, and she would´ve welcomed fainting. Only that it would leave them both at the mercy of those men.

"Umh…" the blonde, without taking her eyes from the figures, spoke from behind Rukia, each back against the other, in a protective and fighting stance. "Are they… acquaintances of yours?"

The petite girl shook her head slowly, her eyes never leaving the figures as well. "Worse. They´re shinigamis from the 6th squad recognizance patrol."

"What? How can that be worse?"

Rukia gulped, the implications making her want to disappear somewhere underground. "They´re shinigami from nii-sama´s squad."

* * *

A/N: So? What do you think? I´m sure you all noticed a lot of change here, because this time Carrie helped me A LOT in correcting (and rewriting) many things on this chapter. THIS IS TOTALLY DEDICATED TO YOU, CARRIE!!!!

I really hope you guys enjoyed this experiment of us! Because it ROCKED!! XDDDD. And hope to see you on next chappy!! It´s going to be intense!!!

Thank you SO much for all your support!! And I´m really sorry for the delay! Be good!!


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